UCLA partners with Korea on smart grid R&D

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Quick Take: This latest partnership is further evidence of Korea's determination to be one of the world leaders in smart grid technology. - By Jesse Berst

UCLA's highly regarded Smart Grid Energy Research Center (SMERC) has partnered with the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) to collaborate on research and the development of new technologies with the goal of developing a strong smart grid at the international level.

SMERC, part of UCLA's engineering school, was created to develop and test new smart grid technologies, with major funding from DOE and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. "UCLA is like a little city – Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale are not much bigger," said Rajit Gadh, SMERC director and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering specializing in wireless smart grid technology. "With a city like UCLA, we can test our concepts very quickly, as well as conduct very interesting tests."

The 10-year partnership with the South Korean institute will involve using three campus buildings as an experimental lab to evaluate how wireless sensing and control systems can help with the development of a smart grid. The facilities are being retrofitted with cutting-edge sensors and smart meters that can, among other things, determine and adjust the amount of power a room will need during specific times of the day – as well as manage appliances, lighting, heating and air conditioning equipment in response to energy prices or power availability on the grid.

Dr. Jung-in Choi, a Korean university professor who came to UCLA on sabbatical, said "I think UCLA's Smart Grid Energy Research Center is one of the most active research institutes in the smart grid field today. In particular, I have been most interested in the open architecture platform for the smart grid – Dr. Gadh's WINSmartGridTM in particular. KIER needs an open architecture platform technology, and I thought a partnership between KIER and SMERC would be beneficial for both."

The WINSmartGridTM (Wireless Internet Smart Grid) is a network platform that allows electric-powered equipment and devices like EVs, washers and dryers and air conditioning systems to be monitored wirelessly, and connected and controlled by a wireless communications framework.

Tae Hyun Yang, principal researcher for KIER for the collaboration with UCLA, commented "SMERC is good at developing the software and platform, while KIER is strong in various renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind and fuel cells. We are confident that the collaboration between the two research groups will create more efficient and faster results."

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Jesse Berst is the founder and chief analyst of Smart Grid News.com. He consults to smart grid companies seeking market entry advice and M&A advisory. A frequent keynoter at industry events in the US and abroad, he also serves on the Advisory Council of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Energy & Environment directorate.

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