IE Lab

Modernising our grid and accelerating clean energy innovation are indispensable parts of our long-term transition to a decarbonised society. UCD Energy Institute in partnership with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have created The Integrated Energy Laboratory (IE Lab). The lab will test new energy management technologies likely to be deployed in houses and small communities.

Competencies

The uniquely reconfigurable infrastructure of the IE Lab that simulates real-world scenarios offers key competencies in:

• System Performance and Reliability Evaluation
• Model Validation and Optimisation
• Technology Integration and Interoperability Assessment
• Advanced Communications Requirements
• Load Management and System Control Considerations
• Enhanced Building Efficiency Analyses
• Prototype Refinement and Pre-Field Validation of Components
• Renewable Electricity Production and Gas Synergies
• Specialised Testing

Who Can Use the IE Lab?

The IE Lab is an environment where scientists and engineers can work side-by-side with users and partners to investigate, research, develop and demonstrate cutting-edge solutions to important global energy challenges. These partnerships will span the spectrum of utilities, system operators, multinational companies, SMEs and start-ups, universities, state agencies, investors and other international laboratories and collaborators.

Located at UCD

The facility is an initiative of UCD Energy Institute located within the O’Brien Centre for Science on UCD campus. UCD campus, the largest urban campus in Europe, is a living laboratory for sustainability that incorporates renewable generation, energy-saving technologies and energy monitoring and BMS (Building Management System) in its buildings.

Project Spotlight – Expanding the Energy Efficiency Spectrum

In the world of big data that we live in today, the need for accurate and robust end-use data to improve energy consumption efficiency is crucial. Capturing such data is complex, often intrusive, and expensive to collect. An alternative is Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) or Load Disaggregation. In competitive markets, real-time disaggregated usage information (such as space heating loads or boiler loads), serves as a valuable resource for understanding the variability of customer energy usage relative to the source and costs of production and creates opportunities for innovative services. The IE Lab provides a state-of-the-art facility for energy utilities to work with us to assess residential NILM products through laboratory evaluations for understanding performance and cost under a variety of test scenarios with an aim to expand the current state of the art in the energy efficiency spectrum.

The IE Lab has flexibility and capability to adapt to your project’s needs.
For more information contact:(opens in a new window)energy@ucd.ie