King’s College London and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have joined forces to establish and co-lead a new center to research and develop smart grids in Hong Kong. Dubbed the InnoHK Research Centre for Intelligent GRID and Energy Technologies (InnoHK I-GET), the new multidisciplinary team will span over 34 global academic institutions and 60 industrial collaborators, including NVIDIA and Siemens. The researchers will use AI and data analysis to make large grids and localized energy networks more efficient and resilient, in a world with increasing reliance on electricity usage.

The goal is that by establishing a state-of-the-art test research center in Hong Kong, a global urban hub with increasing use of electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, and weather events that threaten power outages, InnoHK I-GET’s work can be applied to the UK and across the globe, officials said at a press briefing at PolyU earlier this month.

In 2022 the world’s electricity consumption was roughly three times what it was in 1981, driven by increasing electrification of transport, the expansion of AI data centers and greater use of air conditioning in progressively extreme climates – with the trend set to continue, according to the two entities.

At this time of increasing demand, the further integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power have forced grid systems to adapt to time-dependent energy generation (when it is either windy or sunny) and match it to consumer demand. To build stable national energy infrastructure for energy security and growth has become such a priority the national grid is now spending £60bn to overhaul Britain’s energy system.

Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, and Professor Barbara Shollock (Professor of Engineering and Director of the Net Zero Centre), will play a key leadership role in the multidisciplinary team. Scientists from across King’s Department of Engineering will also provide expertise in InnoHK I-GET’s key projects.

“The InnoHK-funded research center provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen collaboration between King’s and PolyU, while bringing together leading academics and industry partners from across the world to reimagine a future power grid that is more resilient, sustainable and intelligent – capable of supporting everything from electric vehicles to AI-enabled services,’’ said Al-Hashimi. “As a university committed to serving society, we recognize that our impact is amplified through the partnerships we forge. Our collaboration will drive economic growth, skills development and innovation, while addressing the critical global challenge of energy security.”

King’s work with PolyU will help make a stable and intelligent power supply a reality, added Professor Barbara Shollock. “The grid underpins large swathes of our modern life, but the systems that have been created across the globe were not designed for the interconnected, electrified world we live in now … In addition to the well-founded technical expertise in the field, which has already been displayed by its Net Zero Centre, King’s brings a reputation for impact and innovation, which will be invaluable in addressing energy security and growth.”

Professor Chung Chi-yung, director of InnoHK I-GET, said of the hub: “As an international financial center and international innovation and technology hub, Hong Kong has extremely high demands for the stability of its power supply, which provides an ideal setting for developing and applying innovative technologies related to the modernization of smart city grids. Based in Hong Kong, InnoHK I-GET is well positioned to connect Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world.”