The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI) and RUNWITHIT Synthetics (RWI) recently unveiled an AI tool that U.S. Defense department officials can use to simulate the impact new energy technologies, regulation and economic policy decisions can have on people, assets and operations at military installations worldwide.
Named "Your Synthetic Base," the single synthetic environment (SSE) unveiled at the AFWERX Challenge Reimagining Energy Showcase presents a complete, digital, geospatially accurate view of energy resources and assets — existing and new energy technology, customer and base energy choices, barriers to deployment, power grid ties and housing stock — and deploys AI and machine learning to fill gaps in the model to predict the outcome of myriad scenarios.
Produced by RWI with subject matter expertise from EPRI, the SSE can ensure mission readiness and security of energy supplies. The SSE also has the potential for broad application in the power industry. As more of the economy becomes electrified, from space conditioning to electric vehicles, the SSE allows for rapid exploration of alternatives and can present scenarios for planning and decision making in a way that's replicable and expandable as the datasets build.
In December 2020, the AFWERX team at the U.S. Air Force selected EPRI and RWI to participate in the AFWERX Challenge Reimagining Energy Showcase after the two began concepting and building "Your Synthetic Base."
The Showcase provides an opportunity for defense contractors, government agencies and other stakeholders to "see" and learn about the latest energy-related technologies the U.S. Air Force and other military branches could consider as they make innovation, contracting and purchasing decisions for the future.
EPRI and RWI's virtual booth has been on display from January 25. The team will formally present its concept to the AFWERX Challenge selection committee on February 3.
To learn more visit: https://reimaginingenergy.afwerx.com/exhibitors/ [reimaginingenergy.afwerx.com]
In 2020, RUNWITHIT and EPRI used the SSE to model a dual disaster scenario in Arizona for Phoenix-based utility Salt River Project, in a pilot project for EPRI's Incubatenergy Labs challenge. The 16-week demonstration improved SRP's understanding of current backup generator installations and plotted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the simulated outage. Additionally, the project team forecasted which businesses and residences are most likely to adopt backup supply and generate resultant GHG emissions.
