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Smart grids--power grids that adapt to changes in demand and reconfigure as needed to avoid overloads and other problems--can reduce energy costs, help avoid blackouts and deter cyber attacks. They also pose new challenges. As power generation--and the communication and information processing associated with it--shifts from centralized power stations to distributed, heterogeneous systems, massive amounts of sensor data from stations must be transmitted efficiently and effectively analyzed in real time.
A team is using cloud computing resources to analyze smart grid data from thousands of sensors, called phasor measurement units, or PMUs. The PMUs are distributed across the transmission grid, and connect a wide range of energy generating plants, including wind turbines and solar panels.Image credit: Aranya Chakrabortty, North Carolina State University
