IGERT: Sustainable Grid Integration of Distributed and Renewable Resources

The IGERT Program in Sustainable Grid Integration of Distributed and Renewable Resources offers graduate students a unique opportunity to address sustainable grid integration of distributed and renewable energy systems, a crucial priority for greenhouse gas reduction, in an interdisciplinary research and educational environment.

A key context for this project is the Pecan Street Project, an Austin-based collaborative university-utility effort to redesign and reformulate Austin’s electric power system into a smart grid, including smart metering, energy storage systems, and appliances, together with re-alignment of the utility business model.

The long-term goal of the Pecan Street Project is to address sustainability of energy in Austin by shifting the power sector away from traditional centralized utility models.  The Pecan Street vision will transform the Austin Energy network into the urban power system of the future while making the City of Austin a local clean energy laboratory and hub for the world’s emerging cleantech sector.  Participation in the Pecan Street Project will provide a real-world problem-based experience for students.