研究目的
Investigating the proposition that rather than moving energy between geographical regions via an electrical interconnector, it may be cheaper and more beneficial to move the energy consumption, in the form of datacenter workloads.
研究成果
The paper concludes that a Virtual Interconnector may become a key element in future power systems. Electrical loads may be balanced across two or more diverse electricity markets to minimise energy prices and accommodate increased generation from renewable sources. This is achieved through linking two or more datacenters over fiber and shifting computational load between them in an optimal manner. This is shown to be mutually beneficial, with synergies for datacenters, electricity grids and the environment.
研究不足
The VIC's ability to couple distant and diverse market regions diminishes the potential for price equalization or the associated revenue cannibalisation in the linked regions. Additionally, at least two datacenters are necessary to implement a proposed VIC, which limits the usage of the proposed VIS to datacenter operators who already have or require a presence in multiple regions.