Designing the Interplay of Energy Plane and Communication Plane in the Energy Packet Grid

Power synchronicity and limited line capacities will become critical challenges in future power systems. In order to tackle them, we advance the energy packet grid (EP grid), which is an alternative energy grid paradigm, inspired by selected design principles of the Internet. The EP grid breaks up the grid into self-organizing, decentralized EP cells wherein EP devices exchange energy packets. Power synchronicity is independently solved within EP cells, leading to a higher robustness of the overall EP grid. We focus on the interplay between the energy plane and the communication plane, i.e., how power electronics and the ability to exchange messages enable an EP grid. In this context, we introduce SEPT, an EP transfer protocol that allows two neighboring EP devices to exchange energy packets. SEPT takes care of the interplay between the energy plane and the communication plane, adding a new interdisciplinary perspective to the field.