Energy Internet, a book co-authored by TBSI core PI Prof. Sun Hongbin, has been published

2020-05-22

Energy Internet, a book of theoretical research authoredby a team of over 30 top-notch experts led by Prof. Sun Hongbin, a core principalinvestigator (PI) from Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), hasrecently been published and captured much attention across relevant sectors.The book systematically elucidates basic concepts, technical principles, andapplication scenarios of the Energy Internet.It introduces key technologies for the Energy Internet from three perspectivesof energy, information, and value. In addition, it presents the latestgovernment policies in the field and some major demonstration projects in China.


Howthe book came into being

The Xiangshan Science Conference on EnergyInternet, which was proposed and organized by Prof. Sun Hongbin, took place onApril 21-23, 2015. Following the conference, an urgent call for a comprehensivebook on the Energy Internet emerged in both academia and industry, because the EnergyInternet is a new field spanning multiple disciplines, such as electric power,energy, information, transportation, economics, and management. It was againstthis backdrop that Prof. Sun Hongbin mobilized an authoring team of over 30top-notch experts in Energy Internet-related fields. On September 25, 2016,they held their kick-off seminar at Tsinghua University and jump-started thewriting process. After over three years of collective hard work, the teamfinally finished the book. With 1.32 million Chinese characters on more than 660pages, it comes in 5 parts that comprise a total of 24 chapters. A few daysago, it was published by China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.

Interdisciplinarityof Energy Internet

In an interview, Prof. Sun Hongbinportrayed Energy Internet as the result of in-depth integration between energysystems and the Internet. He said that the Energy Internet is clearly inclusiveas well as interdisciplinary and can be explained from different perspectives.As shown by research and practice at home and abroad, the integration betweenenergy systems and the Internet happens in two aspects:

(1) Internet thinking transforms energy systems in a process that can be calledthe Internetization of energy systems. A lot of changes can occur to energysystems, including multi-energy flow interconnection, the free transmission ofenergy, open peer to peer access, and in-depth integration with communication,transportation, industry, and agriculture.

(2) Internet technologies, such as the IoT, cloud computing, big data, mobileInternet, AI, blockchain, and 5G, are used within energy systems and form Internet+solutions.

According to Prof. Sun Hongbin, althoughthe tech world is enthusiastic about studying Energy Internet, it has notdirectly embraced this nascent interdisciplinary area. Up to now, no special nationalresearch project has been officially named after Energy Internet. That is amajor impediment to theoretical and technological innovations, which arelagging behind engineering. To break through the current situation, the energy sectorneeds more courage to make innovations in China.

Visionof Energy Internet

Prof. Sun Hongbin believes that thevision of Energy Internet is to build a low-carbon energy ecosystem, which is secure,efficient, open, and shared. The mission of Energy Internet is to break allkinds of barriers in that ecosystem so that more interconnectivity and sharingcan be achieved among energy systems, creating fertile soil for a mass ofentrepreneurship and innovations in the energy sector.

Prof. Sun Hongbin suggested that EnergyInternet can be treated as a key initiative to drive China’s domestic demand inthe post-COVID-19 recovery. He is convinced that the Energy Internet willbecome a new, robust engine powering the country’s spectacular rise.

AboutProf. Sun Hongbin

Prof. Sun Hongbin is Director of theEnergy Management and Control Research Center at Energy Internet ResearchInstitute, Tsinghua University, TBSI core PI of Environmental Science and NewEnergy Technology Research Center, member of Tsinghua University’s Academic Committee,and Chairman of the Academic Committee at Department of Electrical Engineering,Tsinghua University. He is also a National-level Outstanding Teacher, IEEE Fellow,and IET Fellow. He received funding from the National Science Fund forDistinguished Young Scholars and was selected as a Sci-tech Innovation Leaderin the Ten Thousand Talents Program. He is currently Vice Chairman of theEnergy Committee at the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, FirstDeputy Director of the Energy Internet Special Committee at the Chinese Societyfor Electrical Engineering, Founding Chairman of the IEEE Conference on EnergyInternet and Energy System Integration, and Founder-cum-Executive Chairman ofthe Xiangshan Science Conference on the Energy Internet.

AboutSmart Grid and Renewable Energy Lab

Prof. Sun Hongbin is the head of the SmartGrid and Renewable Energy Lab. The lab aims at a more intelligent, secure, andoptimal power system operation and provides fundamental mathematical theory andalgorithms. The lab also focuses on planning and operation for Energy Internetand Integrated Energy System (IES), including the planning and operation ofTransmission/Distribution/Microgrid/IES, development of IEMS (Integrated EnergyManagement System), application of Artificial Intelligence and Big Datatechnology, etc. In addition, the lab is developing transmission anddistribution automatic inspection technology based on online smart devices andexpert systems, as well as high-voltage external insulation testing & monitoring.


Source: Tsinghua University’s EnergyInternet Research Institute, Power Systems and Big Data

The interview content is from AnExclusive Interview with Tsinghua University’s Sun Hongbin: Take a ScientificLook at Both Sides of the Energy Internet by Zhang Zhenxing.

Editor: Fei