Urban electrification, the process of transitioning city energy sources from fossil fuels to renewables like solar power, has been gaining attention as a future technology for sustainable urban development. (Image courtesy of the Korea Institute of Energy Research)
DAEJEON, Sept. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has announced a breakthrough in urban electrification technology, leveraging artificial intelligence to stabilize renewable energy grids in cities.
The development, announced on September 11, marks a significant step towards sustainable urban environments and carbon neutrality.
Urban electrification, the process of transitioning city energy sources from fossil fuels to renewables like solar power, has been gaining attention as a future technology for sustainable urban development.
However, its high dependence on weather-sensitive renewable sources has posed challenges in maintaining stable energy supply.
The research team at the KIER developed an energy management algorithm incorporating AI analysis and conducted a year-long demonstration at the institute’s plus-energy community building.
The study focused on addressing “low-probability, high-impact events” — extreme weather conditions like severe cold snaps or heat waves that can lead to large-scale power outages.
“By applying AI-based technology to analyze patterns of these rare but impactful events, we quantified their effects,” said Han Kwang-woo, the lead researcher.
“We found that just 1.7 days per year of these events can have a decisive impact on the overall stability and operational costs of the power grid.”
The team’s algorithm optimizes energy sharing between buildings and effectively manages peak demand and generation by considering complex variables such as weather, human behavior patterns, and the scale and operational status of renewable energy facilities.
The results are promising. After applying the AI technology, the system’s energy self-sufficiency rate — the degree to which buildings can meet power demands through self-generation — increased to 38% from 20%.
The self-consumption rate — the proportion of surplus power consumed directly rather than fed back into the grid — rose to 58% from 30%. These improvements nearly doubled the previous figures.
Moreover, the institute reports that electricity bills can be reduced by 18% using this new system.
The scale of this demonstration, with an annual energy consumption of 107 MWh (megawatt-hours), is seven times larger than similar studies by overseas institutions, increasing its potential for real-world urban application.
“By improving the efficiency of urban electrification and enhancing power grid stability through AI, we will contribute to achieving carbon neutrality,” Han stated.
The study’s findings were published in the July online edition of the international journal “Sustainable Cities and Society”.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
