Wanted: 'Superhuman' AI to master a greener grid

As power grids fill up with renewable energy, electric vehicle charging stations and customer-owned generation, they will become too complex and fast-moving for their human operators to keep up with, a group of international researchers warns. The humans will need help from smart machines -- high-performance computers running decisionmaking software systems built with artificial intelligence -- according to researchers at France's grid operator RTE, the U.S. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and other partners. With the proliferation of low-carbon options, "the grid becomes exponentially more challenging to operate," said Jeremy Renshaw, EPRI's AI director. "Grid operators are already stretched to the limit. Getting AI resources to help is going to be critical."