INTEC highlights the urgent need for Smart Energy Management at the Ministry of Energy and Mines Forum
Miguel Aybar-Mejía, a research professor at INTEC, explained that this is possible by integrating electrical microgrids into electrical networks.
SANTO DOMINGO. - Miguel Aybar-Mejia, teacher of Engineering Area of the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) outlined the need for intelligent energy management and explained the possibility enabled through the integration of microgrids into electrical networks.
By participating in a presentation during the "Energy Saving Forum: Transforming the Future", organized by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) under the direction of the Vice Ministry of Innovation and Energy Transition, The INTEC research professor spoke about how microgrids redefine resilience and energy efficiency and how technology will play a fundamental role in determining the energy future.
The Forum was a space for dialogue that brought together diverse stakeholders in the energy sector, including academia, the public sector, and the private sector. The agenda addressed energy conservation issues and their impact on planning across various subsectors such as generation, transmission, distribution, mobility, and renewable energy.
In his opening remarks, Joel Santos Echavarría, Minister of Energy and Mines, emphasized the vision that the State is promoting regarding energy saving as a pillar of the National Energy Plan and the Sustainable Transition of the Dominican Republic.
On behalf of the academy, Dr. Aybar presented the lecture entitled "Beyond the grid: Energy management system of smart microgrids", in which he explained that Advanced Energy Management (EMS) works as "the brain of the grid", using global technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT (Internet of Things) and predictive control.
The researcher emphasized that it's no longer just about cables and transformers, but about data, sensors, and automated decisions, stating that "The value is not in the kilowatts, but in the intelligence with which we manage them."
Analyzing the Dominican Republic's context, Aybar pointed out that the main challenge today is "integrating and managing our energy resources intelligently." Although the country has made progress in distributed generation, he affirms that there is ample room to consolidate microgrids as a strategic tool for resilience and sustainability, especially in an island nation.
The conclusion of her presentation emphasized the vision of going "Beyond the grid", where "Energy as the axis of competitiveness, innovation and development".
About the Energy Saving Forum
The forum's agenda included several relevant topics, among them energy conservation as a pillar of the Dominican Republic's National Energy Plan and Sustainable Energy Transition, successful business case studies of smart energy management from Banco Popular Dominicano, and the Sustainable Communities case study presented by the Nature Power Foundation. Additionally, an expert panel discussion on "Electric Mobility and its Contribution to Energy Conservation" was held.
The closing remarks were delivered by the Vice Minister of Innovation and Energy Transition, Betty Soto Viñas. The Vice Minister emphasized the importance of these activities and highlighted the need for such forums for dialogue on issues related to the innovation and energy transition sector. energetic.