IT solutions for the smart grid

Tobias Brandt outlines how information technology (IT) can be used to integrate sustainable energy technologies into existing infrastructures. The topic is approached from micro, meso, as well as macro perspectives. He first describes how IT artifacts can be used to manage renewable energy sources and energy storage devices in individual households and microgrids for an improved economic and ecological performance. The author proceeds by assessing the economic feasibility of aggregating electric vehicles for large-scale energy storage. The final chapter explores the issue of stability in automated mechanisms. A game-theoretical model is first introduced for financial markets and later transferred to the automated management of energy demand.