Kay Aikin of Introspective Systems

The electrical grid is the most complex machine on Earth, changing not only physically with the addition of large amounts of variable renewable energy, but in the use of new intelligent control algorithms. The current grid was not designed to accommodate the diversity of renewable energy sources and their variability creates control challenges. The Department of Energy has spent billions in research into grid modernization and AI technologies are poised to revolutionize the electrical grid with new distributed control technologies.

We suggest that this re-imagining of the grid requires not a centralized strategy but distributed AI control spread throughout the grid but especially at the edge. The merging of transactive energy (market-based) and distributed AI control hold the promise of fundamental change to improve the grid at all levels. This new grid will be better managed, reduce carbon output, be cyber secure and become more responsive to the consumer. It will truly be the next, next grid.

The building blocks of this technology is the expansion of AI-enabled microgrids, or small-scale distribution networks that can be built up into larger and larger networks. This presentation will discuss some of the challenges in distributed AI controls and our and other efforts at improving the state of the art in distributed control methods for the electrical grid.

Biography:

Kay Aikin, Chief Executive Officer, co-founded Introspective Systems. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University with one of the first sustainability engineering degrees in the country, spending her career as an energy engineer, architectural designer, and business development executive. Kay’s expertise includes reconciling diverse requirements, engineering feasibility, and budgetary limitations to ensure projects are both cost-effective and sustainable.

With her co-founder Dr. Caryl Johnson, over 4 years they studied complex systems design related to integrating Distributed Energy Resources into the electrical grid.  With Dr. Johnson, she helped design their patented xGraph platform as the first independent, modular service architecture for collaborative AI, used in the electrical grid, distributing control to the grid edge. With 25 years as an entrepreneur in the renewable industry, she has experience in founding and running design/build construction companies, managing multi-million dollar sales forces, and business and market development consulting and now complex software systems.