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This report documents the completion of milestone STPRO4-5 Kokkos interoperability with general SIMD types to force vectorization on ATS-1. The Kokkos team worked with application developers to enable the utilization of SIMD intrinsics, which allowed up to 3.7x improvement of the affected kernels on ATS-1 in a proxy application. SIMD types are now deployed in the production code base.
Extensive deployment of interoperable distributed energy resources (DER) on power systems is increasing the power system cyber security attack surface. National and jurisdictional interconnection standards require DER to include a range of autonomous and commanded grid support functions which can drastically influence power quality, voltage, and bulk system frequency. This project was split into two phases. The first provided a survey and roadmap of the cybersecurity for the solar industry. The second investigated multiple PV cybersecurity research and development (R&D) concepts identified in the first phase. In the first year, the team created a roadmap for improving cybersecurity for distributed solar energy resources. This roadmap was intended to provide direction for the nation over the next five years and focused on the intersection of industry and government and recommends activities in four related areas: stakeholder engagement, cyber security research and development, standards development, and industry best practices. At the same time, the team produced a primer for DER vendors, aggregators, and grid operators to establish a common taxonomy and describe basic principles of cyber security, encryption, communication protocols, DER cyber security recommendations and requirements, and device-, aggregator-, and utility-level security best practices to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This material was motivated by the need to assist the broader PV industry with cybersecurity resilience and describe the state-of-the-art for securing DER communications. Lastly, an adversary-based assessment of multiple PV devices was completed at the Distributed Energy Technologies Laboratory at Sandia National Laboratories to determine the status of industry cybersecurity practices. The team found multiple deficiencies in the security features of the assessed devices. In the second year, a set of recommendations was created for DER communication protocols— especially with respect to the state-of-the-art requirements in IEEE 2030.5. Additionally, several cybersecurity R&D technologies related to communications-enabled photovoltaic systems were studied to harden DER communication networks. Specifically, the team investigated (a) using software defined networking to create a moving target defense system for DER communications, and (b) engineering controls that prevent misprogramming or adversary action on DER devices/networks by disallowing setpoints that will generate unstable power system operations.
An increasing number of jurisdictions are adopting Distributed Energy Resource (DER) interconnection standards which require photovoltaic (PV) inverters, energy storage systems, and other DER to include interoperable grid-support functionality. These functions provide grid operators the nobs to support local and bulk power system operations with DER equipment, but the associated grid operator-to-DER communications networks must be deployed with appropriate cybersecurity features. In some situations, additional security features may prevent control system scalability or increase communication latencies and dropouts. These unintentional consequences of the security features would therefore hinder the ability of the grid operator to implement specific control algorithms. This project evaluated the tradeoffs between power system performance and cybersecurity metrics for several grid services.
Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) consist of software and hardware systems that provide communication, control, and management among different electronic devices, such as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. HEMS are a growing market sector in the era of smart grids and smart homes. HEMS can help both homeowners and utilities save money and energy by monitoring and controlling smart devices in a house. Based on the Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Data Book, 41% of the energy consumed in the United States is used by buildings (see Figure 1). This shows the importance of saving energy in the building sector. This report introduces two approaches that existing HEMS vendors can use to leverage VOLTTRON as their control and interoperability engine. The goal of this project is to make open-source, user-friendly HEMS available to the market so that everyone can benefit from them. The HEMS introduced as a result of this study should satisfy HEMS specifications such as device monitoring and control, seamless communication between devices, DR, intelligence, data management, and security.
This paper provides an architectural framework for highly distributed Transactive Energy grids. This framework guides the engineering of transactive distribution systems, informs the necessary interoperability standards, and fills in the gap in the ability of electric distribution utilities to write the Grid Codes that define how prosumer and third party devices plug into such a grid. With this architecture, a major hurdle to Transactive Grid deployment is resolved.
Penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) is rapidly increasing in the bulk power system (BPS); they are growing to be a significant portion of generation. As such, grid-support capabilities are being developed and implemented; IEEE Std. 1547 mandates new interconnection and interoperability standards to achieve these capabilities and allow remote users to change behaviors to many devices. However, as their presence increases, the impact of DERs on the BPS also increases. Therefore, if a disturbance occurs in the DER system, its effects could propagate throughout the BPS. These disturbances could range from equipment malfunctions to resource variability to cyber attacks. This document will discuss general requirements needed for developing a distributed cryptography module for implementation in DER systems. First, we will examine the composition of DER systems in Section 2. Procedures to identify critical assets and the security of DERs is discussed in Section 3. Section 4 introduces cryptography concepts and Section 5 discusses implementation needs and options. Finally, practical considerations are provided in Section 6 and conclusions are provided in Section 7.
Under its Grid Modernization Initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE),in collaboration with energy industry stakeholders developed a multi-year research plan to support modernizing the electric grid. One of the foundational projects for accelerating modernization efforts is information and communications technology interoperability. A key element of this project has been the development of a methodology for engaging ecosystems related to grid integration to create roadmaps that advance the ease of integration of related smart technology. This document is the product of activities undertaken in 2017 through 2019.It provides a Cybersecurity Plan describing the technology to be adopted in the project with details as per the GMLC Call document.
Cybersecurity is essential for interoperable power systems and transportation infrastructure in the US. As the US transitions to transportation electrification, cyber attacks on vehicle charging could impact nearly all US critical infrastructure. This is a growing area of concern as more charging stations communicate to a range of entities (grid operators, vehicles, OEM vendors, etc.), as shown in Figure I.1.1.1. The research challenges are extensive and complicated because there are many end users, stakeholders, and software and equipment vendors. Poorly implemented electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) cybersecurity is a major risk to electric vehicle (EV) adoption because the political, social, and financial impact of cyberattacks—or public perception of such—ripples across the industry and has lasting and devastating effects. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive EVSE cybersecurity approach and limited best practices have been adopted by the EV/EVSE industry. For this reason, there is an incomplete industry understanding of the attack surface, interconnected assets, and unsecured interfaces. Thus, comprehensive cybersecurity recommendations founded on sound research are necessary to secure EV charging infrastructure. This project is providing the automotive industry with a strong technical basis for securing this infrastructure by developing threat models, prioritizing technology gaps, and developing effective countermeasures. Specifically, the team is creating a cybersecurity threat model and performing a technical risk assessment of EVSE assets, so that automotive, charging, and utility stakeholders can better protect customers, vehicles, and power systems in the face of new cyber threats.
The International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA) was initiated as an International Polar Year (IPY) project (Uttal et al. 2015, on-line release) to address key atmospheric science questions through coordinating the considerable atmospheric observing assets at 10 pan-arctic observatories (http://iasoa.org). The mission of IASOA is to advance cross-site research objectives from independent arctic atmospheric observatories through: (1) strategically developing comprehensive observational capacity; (2) facilitating data access and usability through a single gateway; and (3) mobilizing contributions to synergistic science and socially relevant services derived from IASOA assets and expertise. In April 2015 the IASOA science steering committee invited the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s Oliktok Point observatory to contribute to consortium activities. The IASOA steering committee identified enhanced, cross-site data sharing through an IASOA-specific data access portal as a focus for ongoing consortium activities. The design intent of the portal has been to display the data inventories of all IASOA observatories in a succinct summary (Data-at-a-Glance) and provide the most proximal access links available to those data sets. The IASOA data access portal is not intended to replace the functions of existing archives. This succinct summary of data availability supports cross-site and interdisciplinary synthesis science activities. Efforts to enhance the legacy IASOA data access portal functionality have focused on two areas: developing a comprehensive and coherent data vocabulary for IASOA data and implementing an interoperable metadata standard for all IASOA data. The technical goal of this proposal is to work with ARM data managers to operationalize the export of metadata for observational data sets for Oliktok Point from the ARM metadata database. IASOA harvests data in the commonly used International Organization for Standardization (ISO) format. ARM has successfully generated metatdata matching this format in the past to provide metadata from its North Slope of Alaska (NSA) Barrow observatory.
To design and demonstrate DROMS-RT, a highly distributed Demand Response Optimization and Management System for Real-Time (DROMS-RT) power flow control to support large scale integration of distributed renewable generation into the grid. AutoGrid developed a novel control and communications platform to allow highly dispatchable demand response (DR) services in time frames suitable for providing ancillary services to the transmission grid. These services will be substantially less expensive and more efficient than other forms of ancillary services options currently available to manage the intermittency associated with large-scale renewable integration. DROMSRT successfully leveraged Automated Demand Response (ADR) by fundamentally re-thinking the architecture of the DR platform from the ground up and by developing innovative new technologies in a number of areas related to DR. DROMS-RT leveraged the low-cost, open, interoperable DR signaling technology, OpenADR, and low-cost, internet-protocol based telemetry solutions to reduce the cost of hardware. This allowed DROMS-RT to provide dynamic price signals to millions of OpenADR clients. Statistically rigorous signal processing techniques were developed to reliably detect even small load reductions in the presence of noisy baseline profiles. Novel forecasting engines based on modern online machine learning algorithms enabled accurate individualized forecasts for customer loads in the presence of dynamic pricing signals, and a real-time decision engines enabled continuous optimization and optimal dispatch of DR resources across a large portfolio of heterogeneous loads that respond at varying time-scales. Moreover, the real-time optimization conducted by the decision engine can utilize grid physics to maximize load reduction at the transmission system in addition to the distribution sites, for more efficient grid operation. Finally, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) availability of the DROMS-RT platform has reduced the cost of deployment and enable participation of small commercial and residential customers in DR who otherwise would not be able to do so.
This report is an outcome of the ASC ATDM Level 2 Milestone 6015: Asynchronous Many-Task Software Stack Demonstration. It comprises a summary and in depth analysis of DARMA and a DARMA-compliant Asynchronous Many-Task (AMT) runtime software stack. Herein performance and productivity of the over- all approach are assessed on benchmarks and proxy applications representative of the Sandia ATDM applications. As part of the effort to assess the perceived strengths and weaknesses of AMT models compared to more traditional methods, experiments were performed on ATS-1 (Advanced Technology Systems) test bed machines and Trinity. In addition to productivity and performance assessments, this report includes findings on the generality of DARMAs backend API as well as findings on interoperability with node- level and network-level system libraries. Together, this information provides a clear understanding of the strengths and limitations of the DARMA approach in the context of Sandias ATDM codes, to guide our future research and development in this area.
A full-scale, operational implementation of the opportunistic hybrid communications systems for distributed photovoltaic (PV) coordination was successfully developed, simulated, and validated in this 3-year project. The system is considered hybrid because it uses different communications pathways from the scale of residential PV inverters to a transmission network; primary technologies harnessed include Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Network (LoWPAN), Power Line Communication (PLC), WiFi mesh, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Ethernet cable, and Optical Ethernet systems. It is opportunistic in that it chooses to route messages through each of these systems based on recent data about latency and availability to ensure reliable message passing.
In this project PARC and Energy ETC aimed to develop an ultra-low cost, size, weight, and power (SWaP) printed CO 2 sensor system for occupancy detection to enable Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) on a per-room basis. The CO 2 sensor technology is based on the temperature variation when CO 2 reversibly physisorbs to a highly conductive and high surface area sorbent surface, and is compatible with integration with PARC innovations in printed sensors and flexible electronics, for which PARC is a globally leading research center. The printed CO 2 sensor itself is designed to be compatible with PARC’s “peel-and-stick” platform of ultra-low power, low-cost, distributed sensors, and to facilitate real-time DCV based on overall indoor air quality (IAQ). Previously, PARC has developed flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) compatible materials to measure humidity, temperature, light, strain, and gases such as carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Through this project, PARC developed FHE-compatible materials to measure CO 2 . Thus, with one <$15 FHE “peel-and-stick” based sensor node, a building management system (BMS) will be able to capture a complete picture of the indoor environment. This includes IAQ, light, temperature, and other comfort factors that impact building operations. Combined with optimized DCV, this low-cost sensor capability can be a key enabler of annual primary energy savings of ~ 0.3-0.4 Quad in commercial buildings while ensuring healthy IAQ. Energy ETC is a leader in supplier-agnostic BMS deployments and will design the commissioning and deployment procedures to maximize system interoperability.
This paper provides an architectural framework for highly distributed Transactive Energy grids. This framework guides the engineering of transactive distribution systems, informs the necessary interoperability standards, and fills in the gap in the ability of electric distribution utilities to write the Grid Codes that define how prosumer and third party devices plug into such a grid. With this architecture, a major hurdle to Transactive Grid deployment is resolved.
We currently have an opportunity and a need to migrate the community’s data movement protocols given where GridFTP is in its lifecycle. For several years, there’s been ongoing work to develop HTTP to meet our needs. Our small HEP community can leverage the global effort to make HTTPS performant, interoperable, and ubiquitous. This builds on a common interpretation of the WebDAV standards, evolving into HTTP-TPC. We have used the last 12 months to greatly mature the implementations and integration with the storage software used in HEP. All major storage implementations have demonstrated a HTTP-TPC implementation. Except EOS, all have a production version of the protocol.
Under its Grid Modernization Initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with energy industry stakeholders developed a multi-year research plan to support modernizing the electric grid. One of the foundational projects for accelerating modernization efforts is information and communications technology interoperability. A key element of this project has been the development of a methodology for engaging ecosystems related to grid integration to create roadmaps that advance the ease of integration of related smart technology. This document is the product of activities undertaken in 2017 through 2019. It provides a Cybersecurity Plan describing the technology to be adopted in the project with details as per the GMLC Call document.
Increasing solar energy penetrations may create challenges for distribution system operations because production variability can lead to large voltage deviations or protection system miscoordination. Instituting advanced management systems on distribution systems is one promising method for combating these challenges by intelligently controlling distribution assets to regulate voltage and ensure protection safety margins. While it is generally not the case today, greater deployment of power system sensors and interoperable distributed energy resources (DER)e.g., photovoltaic (PV) inverters, energy storage systems (ESS), electric vehicles (EVs)will enable situational awareness, control, and optimization of distribution systems. In this work, a control system was created which measures power system parameters to estimate the status of a feeder, forecasts the distribution state over a short-term horizon, and issues optimal set point commands to distribution-connected equipment to regulate voltage and protect the system. This two-year project integrated multiple research innovations into a management system designed to safely allow PV penetrations of 50% or greater. The integrated software was demonstrated through extensive real-time (RT) and power hardware-in-the-loop studies and a field demonstration on a live power system with a 684 kVA PV system.
This SEE Action Network report explains basic concepts and fundamental considerations for assessing the actual demand flexibility performance of buildings participating in demand flexibility programs and responding to time-varying retail rates. Demand flexibility is the capability of distributed energy resources (DERs) to adjust a building’s load profile across different timescales. Assessments determine the timing, location, quantity, and quality of grid services provided. The results can be used for financial settlements and to improve performance of demand flexibility, support its consideration in resource potential studies and electricity system planning, and contribute to cost-effectiveness evaluations. While practitioners and regulators regularly find opportunities to improve performance assessments of demand-related services, to a large degree current best practices are sufficient for basic service offerings as demand flexibility is implemented today. However, advances in assessment practices will be required in a future with grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) that provide continuous demand flexibility by integrating multiple DERs and flexibility modes (load shed, load shift, modulate, and generate). Example practices include using new baseline constructs—including whether baselines are even required for certain building flexibility modes or configurations, deploying more advanced metering and analytics, further developing cybersecurity standards, improving communication standards for increased interoperability, and establishing performance metrics and assessment procedures for load modulation as it is more fully defined and implemented. This report provides information on prioritizing and designing performance assessment elements for demand flexibility programs and time-varying retail rates, assessment protocols, and research and development needs. Additional research sponsored by DOE’s Building Technologies Office offers more detailed technical information on assessing performance of demand flexibility, including definition of performance metrics.