An open source tool for producing and balancing energy
The software development process has evolved from vendors owning, controlling, and selling proprietary software into a collaborative, open source model. The process of producing energy is going through a similar evolution.
Consumers have become producers, generating and sharing sustainable solar, wind, and hydro energy, and open source software is part of that energy production evolution. In this article, I will introduce PowerMatcherSuite, a Flexiblepower Alliance Network project licensed under the Apache License, version 2.0.
The suite is comprised of two disruptive open source technologies: the PowerMatcher and the Flexible Power Application Infrastructure (FPAI). Both technologies are complementary, but can also function on their own. The PowerMatcher is a smart grid coordination mechanism. FPAI is an operating system that enables appliances, the smart grid, and smart services to communicate with each other.
Evolution of energy production
The outdated energy business model is similar to the proprietary software business model. In the same way big companies control source code and sell proprietary software, conventional power plants produce, control, and sell energy.
