About GRID
About
The University of Pittsburgh’s Energy GRID Institute, newly established to leverage public and private partnerships with state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities, is a comprehensive international solution center for the entire electric power industry, located in downtown Pittsburgh at the Energy Innovation Center. The laboratory was nationally benchmarked to create academia's most advanced electric power utility scale research entity. The lab focuses on advancing modern power systems, integrating distributed generation sources into AC (13.8 kV, 4.16 kV, 480 V, 208 V) system architectures rated up to 5MVA in order to demonstrate and study novel power products, as well as monitoring, control and protection systems.
Research at GRID encompasses AC and DC system studies, real-time digital simulation, performance analysis, forensic investigations and power electronic design, rapid prototyping, and testing up to 13.8 kV. The configurability of the system allows it to be fluidly changed to reflect a wide variety of grid layouts and conditions. The result is a facility that is uniquely capable of integrating education, training, demonstration, and testing, as well as research and development at the cutting edge of the power systems and power electronics industries, thus providing a drive towards greater collaboration with utilities, equipment vendors, and other universities.
Collaborative partnerships are integral to GRID’s success. We believe that the solutions needed for a modern sustainable and reliable grid demand research that has been developed and tested against the needs of both industry and society. The 20,000 square-foot buildout of laboratories and facilities signifies Pitt’s commitment to provide a flexible, large-scale space for electric power and energy research, and to encourage partnerships with industry and the community.
Mission
Partnering with industry and the community to build the clean and intelligent power grid of the future.
The mission of the Energy GRID Institute is to tackle the next generation of energy development problems, in a way that creates a "win-win" for all stakeholders- from end-users to industrial developments. Our goal at GRID is to dissect academic jargon in a manner that provides tangible progress on complex issues that are facing the broader energy industry.
The heart of our research focuses on keeping the lights on. Whether it is determining what materials are needed to develop the next generation of wind turbines, taking lessons from the biomedical industry to improve our understanding of battery storage life, or designing the power electronics that are needed for implementing systemmic designs, GRID's research takes a hands-on approach to sustainable energy.
We work to research, develop, and deploy energy innovation in our own City, so we can help other areas of the world understand what its like to work effectively. The Pitt GRID Institute is the nexus for collaborative grid research, development, and demonstration in Pittsburgh. GRID provides energy leadership for the City and the region, and promotes economic growth through advanced technological leadership.
Energy GRID Institute Flyer
The Energy GRID Institute, established in 2016 by the Swanson School of Engineering as a global leader in building the clean and intelligent grid of the future, acts as the nexus for collaborative research, development, and demonstration that encourages economic growth and job creation and enhances Pitt’s incubator, start-up, and commercialization potential.
