TASTING – Study of the specific features of highly distributed architectures for decision and control requirements

Overview :

Supervisor : Arnault Lapitre (CEA – University Paris-Saclay)
Starting Date : ASAP (24 months)
Location : Palaiseau (in Paris area)
Keywords : distributed systems, grid control, consensus, decision

Context :

This offer is part of TASTING, a four-year project that has received state funding managed by the National Research Agency under the France 2030 program. This project aims to address the main challenges related to the modernization and security of electrical systems with an emphasis on the cloud/edge continuum. Its structure responds to the PEPR TASE call for "Technological solutions for the digitization of intelligent energy systems," co-led by CEA and CNRS. The project focuses on scientific challenges surrounding ICT infrastructure, which is considered a crucial element in driving the significant transformations expected in energy infrastructures over the next decades. Seven academic laboratories are involved in TASTING: G2Elab, GeePs, IRIT, CEA-LIST, L2EP, L2S, and SATIE, as well as the Ctrl-A team from Inria. The project also benefits from an industrial partner: RTE (Electricity Transmission Network).

The participation of RTE, a key player in transmission systems, in the TASTING project represents a significant asset. As an associated partner, RTE brings concrete use cases and active support for academic research within the various institutions involved. Its involvement ensures the identification of real scientific barriers for the development of solutions created within the TASTING project. These solutions will thus be directly applicable at scale, maximizing the impact of innovations on the resilience and flexibility of intelligent energy networks.

The proposed use cases are as follows:
• UC1: Distribution of ICT resources
• UC2: Distributed control of PS & DER -> Active management on 63kV loops -> Different solutions for distributed controls (AI, Agent, ADMM, others)
• UC3: Ensure real-time optimal UFLS through digital control
• UC4: Fault location (PS & IT)
• UC5: Multi-energy/infrastructure DT

To enable the emergence of flexible and resilient energy networks, we need to find solutions to the challenges facing these networks, in particular digitization and the protection of data flows that this will entail, and cybersecurity issues. In the Tasting project, your role will be to analyze data protection for all parties involved. The aim is to verify security properties on data in distributed systems, taking into account that those induce a number of uncertainties.

Objectives and Research Program

The aim of this study is to help design new decision methods, specially adapted to highly distributed control architectures for energy networks. These new methods will need to be evaluated in terms of performance, resilience and robustness, and tested in the presence of various hazards and even Byzantines.

Candidate profile

• Eligible candidates should have a PhD in computer science.
• Experience in formal methods or in distributed systems would be an advantage.
• Good communication skills (both oral and written)

Contact

Please send a CV and a motivation letter to:
Arnault Lapitre, e-mail : arnault.lapitre@cea.fr