We’re thrilled to share the successful completion of our research and development project, LOBSTER. This initiative was crafted to address the challenges encountered by Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and other organizations in the realm of energy management, particularly in handling renewable energy generation.
Main goals of the LOBSTER project
Traditionally characterized by unidirectional energy flow from centralized power plants to end consumers, the energy sector landscape has undergone a significant evolution. The emergence of distributed energy systems, characterized by bidirectional flows across varying voltage levels, has become increasingly prevalent. This transformation stems from several factors, including the growing proportion of energy derived from local, decentralized sources—oftentimes volatile renewable energy outlets. Moreover, the development of the prosumer energy market, coupled with advancements in electromobility and energy storage technologies, has influenced this shift.
This transformation underscored the necessity for local energy balancing and a diverse array of system services, essential for Distribution System Operators and allied organizations, including energy clusters and cooperatives.
Recognizing these evolving requisites, Globema committed to developing a tailored IT solution, LOBSTER, supporting energy management in Local Balancing Areas.
Local Balancing Areas: their significance and function
Local Balancing Areas serve as controlled hubs for conducting analyses and projections of energy flow based on the interplay between localized energy production and demand dynamics.
The analyses and projections consider the nuances of distributed energy generation, encompassing renewable energy sources (RES) like PV installations and wind farms. Furthermore, these assessments factor in the presence and operation of energy storage facilities, fluctuating energy demands, and the evolving e-mobility infrastructure.
What is LOBSTER and how does it work?
LOBSTER is an IT solution for Distribution System Operators, empowering them to efficiently oversee Local Balancing Areas. With LOBSTER, operators can execute precise energy balancing within distribution networks spanning three distinct voltage tiers: low, medium, and high. Operators can perform balancing across any designated Local Balancing Area with a forward-looking horizon of up to 14 days.
The system provides information crucial for energy clusters and cooperatives, enabling them to optimize their energy allocation effectively.
LOBSTER provides comprehensive information essential for energy balancing and management, including:
- forecasts of RES production for specific Local Balancing Areas,
- projections of energy demand within specific Local Balancing Areas,
- operation schedules for energy storage units.
These forecasts, harnessed by LOBSTER’S algorithms, facilitate:
- determination of network operation systems to optimize RES energy production while adhering to system limits,
- internal balancing of production and demand within an area, ensuring flow balance across network nodes that intersect Transmission System Operators’ (TSOs’) networks,
- assessment of technical feasibility to transmit all energy generated within a designated Local Balancing Area over the subsequent 14 days,
- specification of necessary production limits and selection of sources for implementing these limits within the ensuing 14-day period.
The benefits of LOBSTER
LOBSTER supports Distribution System Operators in efficiently managing energy derived from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and introduced into the national energy grid. Moreover, the system plays a pivotal role in facilitating entities such as energy clusters and cooperatives to leverage and manage energy resources optimally.
Therefore, the LOBSTER system serves to:
- facilitate seamless integration of RES with energy networks,
- maximize RES production within local balancing areas,
- optimize management of energy production, demand, and storage,
- provide system services related to energy production and demand control,
- ensure the technical feasibility of contracts associated with renewable energy,
- safeguard the operational integrity of the National Grid System at the Distribution System Operators’ level.
Our partnerships in the LOBSTER project
The LOBSTER project was a collaborative effort involving our partners:
- The Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling (ICM) at the University of Warsaw.
- Polenergia Dystrybucja, a Distribution System Operator.
- Słupsk Energy Cluster, under the management of Wodociągi Słupsk.
This R&D initiative was subsidized by the National Centre for Research and Development, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.
Our partnership with ICM spans over a decade, marked by the joint development of other innovative solutions for renewable energy, including prognOZEr and 4RES, a system designed for forecasting renewable energy production.
