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At least 127 records · Page 7

Photovoltaic Inverter Momentary Cessation: Recovery Process is Key

Momentary cessation refers to an inverter control mode. When the inverter terminal voltage falls below (or exceeds) a certain level, the inverter ceases to output any current, but attempts to maintain (or quickly regain) phase-locked loop synchronization to allow for quick reinjection of current when the voltage recovers to a certain point. This paper presents a photovoltaic (PV) momentary cessation model developed in PSS/E. Simulations are presented for a high voltage transmission line fault contingency in the Hawaiian island of Oahu power system on a validated PSS/E model, modified to include a custom distributed PV inverter model, and different near-future distributed PV penetration levels. Simulations for the island power system include different penetration levels of PV, and different recovery times (ramp rates and delays) after momentary cessation. The results indicate that during low voltage events, such as faults, momentary cessation can produce severe under frequency events, causing significant load shed and shortly thereafter, in some cases, over frequency events that cause generation to trip offline. The problem is exacerbated with higher penetration levels of PV. If momentary cessation is used (as is typically the case for distribution-connected resources), the recovery process after momentary cessation should be carefully considered to minimize impacts to bulk power system stability.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Direct Phase-Angle Detection for Three-Phase Inverters in Asymmetrical Power Grids

This paper introduces a signal reformation based direct phase-angle detection (DPD-SR) technique for three-phase inverters supporting asymmetrical grids. Asymmetries in three-phase systems may happen because of unbalanced three-phase loads, which can lead to the voltage asymmetry at the terminals of grid-tied inverters. The proposed DPD-SR technique can detect the voltage phase-angle under asymmetrical conditions. The DPD-SR technique also offers precise and rapid phase-angle detection via signal reformation and trigonometric functions. In essence, the phase-angle detection is directly derived from the trigonometric properties of the line-line voltages, while signal reformation is implemented to handle asymmetrical voltages. The proposed method measures two line-line voltages and detects the phase-angle of a three-phase system under both symmetrical and asymmetrical conditions. Unlike classical phase-locked loop (PLL) techniques, DPD-SR does not need any closed-loop PI controller, which significantly reduces the complexity and the delay in detecting the phase-angle. In this paper, the efficacy of the proposed technique is examined in comparison with the state-of-the-art PLLs under asymmetrical conditions via a set of laboratory experiments. Here, the performance of the phase-angle detection is also tested as part of an inverter feeding an asymmetrical grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Experimentation in Exploring Photovoltaic Inverter Dynamics Under Different Irradiance Levels Through a Data-Driven Approach

As conventional direct connections of synchronous generators are being phased out, inverter-based resources (IBRs) with grid support functions are increasingly being integrated into power systems. This transition requires the development of accurate dynamic models for IBRs to predict how power systems will adapt to varying levels of IBRs penetration, establish grid code requirements, and ensure compliance. Here, this study introduces an active probing signal-based data-driven modeling technique to accurately derive the dynamics model of a smart photovoltaic inverter operating in Volt-Watt and Freq-Watt modes, in compliance with the IEEE 1547–2018 standard. The paper focuses on investigating how the dynamics of the PV inverter model respond to fluctuations in solar irradiance, utilizing real-time digital simulator experimentation. The experimental analysis demonstrates that the amplitude of dynamics fluctuates with changes in irradiance across both operational modes and confirms the active power’s dependence on irradiance levels. Furthermore, the nature of inverter dynamics varies distinctly between the different modes of activation. Critically, our findings indicate that dynamic models require DC-gain adjustments to accommodate contrasting irradiance levels, highlighting a negative gradient linear relationship between the DC-gain of each model and the irradiance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Faster-than-real-time Simulation with Demonstration for Resilient DER Integration

The US electric grid is facing operational, stability, and security challenges. Transmission system operators need some measure of visibility into distribution system renewable generation. Distribution system generation needs to support transmission system voltage. The grid is experiencing an expansion in measurement systems. How to take full advantage of this expansion and defend against attacks, both cyber and physical, poses additional challenges. The Faster-than-real-time Simulation with demonstration for Resilient DER Integration project set out to do the following: a. Flatten the voltage profile through the feeders and system for cost saving and voltage stabilization needs. b. Increase the amount of intermittent distributed energy resources (IDERs) that could be deployed on a utility feeder and provide 100% or more energy needed for the demands on that feeder, and c. based on an accurate model (Digital Twin) of the utilities system, be able to detect any abnormalities on the utilities distribution system. To manage the voltage and increase IDER penetration (a,b), Graph Trace Analysis is employed in a time-series, optimal power flow to coordinate the time-varying feedback control setpoints of a distribution feeder’s utility control devices. Under the coordinated control are a Load Tap Changing Transformer, a voltage regulator, and five switched capacitor banks. The feeder serves over 2000 customers, the feeder secondaries are modeled, and the feeder has 2.3 MW of PV generation, corresponding to a 17.4% penetration of PV generation. The feeder model has over 12,000 components, where every customer load bus and PV generator are modeled. The accuracy of the power flow solution is compared against historical meter voltage measurements, the improvement in conservation voltage reduction energy savings as a function of the coordinated control desired voltage profile is investigated, and the increase in PV penetration of the coordinated control over the existing control is presented. To achieve improved control performance while observing system operation constraints, bellwether Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) voltage measurements are used to adjust the desired voltage profile used by the optimal power flow analysis. To detect and alleviate or negate attacks or failures on the distribution and transmission utility grids (c) the grid needs to be resilient and self-healing. In this project software was designed to do just that. At the center of the software is an Integrated System Model (ISM) that spans from transmission to secondary distribution. The ISM is employed in real-time abnormality detection, voltage stability forecasting, and multi-mode control. Testing results are presented for: 1—attacks on utility infrastructure; 2—energy savings from optimal control; 3—distribution system control response during a low voltage transmission system event; 4—cyber-attacks on PV inverters, where physical inverters are used in hard-ware-in-the-simulation-loop studies. Contributions of this work include real-time analysis that spans from three-phase transmission through secondary distribution; an approach for detecting abnormalities that employs measurements from three independent measurement systems; and a multi-mode distribution system control that responds to cyber-attacks, physical attacks, equipment failures, and transmission system needs.

Integrated System Model, Graph Trace Analysis, Adv↗

Transmission and Distribution Real-Time Analysis Software for Monitoring and Control: Design and Simulation Testing

The US electric grid is facing operational, stability, and security challenges. Transmission system operators need some measure of visibility into distribution system renewable generation. Distribution system generation needs to support transmission system voltage. The grid is experiencing an expansion in measurement systems. How to take full advantage of this expansion and defend against attacks, both cyber and physical, poses additional challenges. This paper introduces software designed to meet these challenges. At the center of the software is an Integrated System Model (ISM) that spans from transmission to secondary distribution. The ISM is employed in real-time abnormality detection, voltage stability forecasting, and multi-mode control. The software architecture along with selected analysis modules is presented. Testing results are presented for: 1—attacks on utility infrastructure; 2—energy savings from optimal control; 3—distribution system control response during a low voltage transmission system event; 4—cyber-attacks on PV inverters, where physical inverters are used in hardware-in-the-simulation-loop studies. Contributions of this work include real-time analysis that spans from three-phase transmission through secondary distribution; an approach for detecting abnormalities that employs measurements from three independent measurement systems; and a multi-mode distribution system control that responds to cyber-attacks, physical attacks, equipment failures, and transmission system needs.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Forming Interphase Microgrids in Distribution Systems Using Cooperative Inverters

Interphase-microgrids formed by three islanded single-phase feeders in distribution systems are proposed in this paper. Loss of utility caused by natural and human-made disasters may isolate each residential subdivision from the utility. In this case, the household loads are supplied by distributed generation (DG) units which may not be enough to meet the load demand. This can lead to deviations in voltage and frequency, and the deviations may vary for each phase. The proposed solution is to form an interphase-microgrid by seamlessly interconnecting the islanded single-phase feeders. This interphase-microgrid can effectively balance the load demands and DG generation in distribution systems after losing the utility supply. This paper presents different case studies to demonstrate the viability of forming interphase-microgrids for residential distribution systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Enhancement of Distribution System Resilience Through the Application of Volt-Var Regulation Devices

This paper discusses a practical implementation of locating and sizing dynamic reactive compensation using an impedance matrix (Zbus) approach to improve distribution system resilience in scenarios with high penetration of distributed resources. The modeled system is a 14.2 kV radial residential system modified to be fed by a combination of traditional sources and solar resources. Time-varying loads and PV sources are connected along the feeder to simulate the challenging operational voltage regulation scenarios faced by Modern Distribution Systems. Additionally, enhancement of the resilience of the electrical system is demonstrated through analyzing the effect of a topology change to the system. This study uses the GridLAB-D software.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Comprehensive Assessment of On-And Off-Board Vehicle-To-Grid Technology Performance and Impacts on Battery and the Grid

This project defined, developed, and tested the open standards-based requirements, engineering design and system integration of on and off-vehicle Vehicle-to-Grid technologies both on the grid and on the PEV, to assess their effectiveness in implementing the use cases that create value for the grid, which in turn, can be passed on to the ratepayers and the PEV owners. The project comprised of three key categories of work and four key sub-areas of work. The three key categories were: On-Vehicle V2G, Off-Vehicle V2G, and impact of V2G operation on the battery capacity degradation. The four key sub-areas of work under each of these categories were: defining requirements, implementing the technology, performing system integration testing, and estimating the value of each of the grid services under specific assumptions, on a per-vehicle and on an aggregated basis. The technical implementation demonstrated the validity of standards-based approach to grid integration that led to interoperability, in addition to assessing the operational details with grid constraints imposed at the transformer level. The technology implementation also identified the subtle gaps in the standards definition to close the feedback loop on the accuracy of the standards as written, which are being implemented as revisions to the appropriate protocols. The battery impacts assessment developed a test cycle that the batteries from a real PHEV were subjected to for both the mobility-only and mobility with V2G specific energy cycling. While the battery impact results show a clear incremental degradation in response to additional throughput for V2G application purposes, the amount of additional kWh that can be made available without exceeding the end-of-life capacity definition of the battery at its 10-year warranty period was found to be significant. Given that the PEV battery being exercised during testing was a PHEV battery (smaller energy capacity), and 44% of its usable energy (i.e., SOC) was utilized daily for V2G applications, the EVs with much larger batteries will fare much better, either in terms of extracting more value in terms of incremental kWh for V2G, or in terms of relative incremental degradation of the capacity through the battery lifespan. Further, this battery was the second-generation Lithium-Ion chemistry circa 2015, which is at least two generations ago. Continual improvements in electrochemistry and manufacturing techniques as well as on-board capacity will enable the future batteries to provide even more energy for non-mobility-related services. Finally, the valuation of V2G energy services at the premise, distribution, and the ISO/market level was carried out for both the on-vehicle and off-vehicle cases, to understand both the GHG mitigation and operational efficiency improvements in quantitative terms. The analysis indicates that between $\$400$ and $\$1400$ per year of total value to the grid can be realized. When netted of costs to implement V2G either on or off-vehicle, the net value is available to be shared between the ratepayers and the EV owners. Over the life of the EV, therefore, this value becomes significant and can easily provide both ratepayer and EV owner benefits more than the cost of the equipment, either on or off-board, in addition to providing GHG mitigation benefits both on the grid and on the mobility sides. For these benefits to accrue, the key learnings from both the on- and off-vehicle V2G parts of the project indicate the need for at-scale demonstrations through involvement of real EV owners to validate both the technical feasibility, interoperability, as well as real grid benefits by performing extensive data collection and analysis. This will help inform the grid planners, the program designs, and tariff designers, as well as automotive and equipment manufacturers how best to create their products to maximize grid, ratepayer, and EV owner value.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Cyber Labeling for Energy Industrial IoT

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER), at the request of the Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies, Anne Neuberger, initiated research in 2023 to develop a cybersecurity labeling proof-of-concept for energy products to expand on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposed U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program. DOE mobilized researchers from six National Laboratories to develop and gather feedback on a proof-of concept label for solar inverters and smart meters, which serve as representative products for market-facing energy sector Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). This report details the research team’s process across two phases and the resulting findings, which include challenges facing cyber labeling programs and recommendations to implement an expanded IIoT cyber labeling program in the U.S.

32 - ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZA↗

DER Testing and Verification - Overview of IEEE P1547.1

This presentation provides an overview of IEEE 1547.1, which contains the test and verification procedures needed to confirm that distributed energy resources comply with IEEE 1547-2018. IEEE 1547.1 is currently in balloting and is not yet finalized. The presentation focuses on aspects of IEEE 1547.1 likely to be of interest to to PJM and their stakeholders. It also touches on related topics such as tests that confirm DER behavior that are not included in IEEE 1547.1

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

What Are DERs and How Can They Be Used?

This presentation describes several practical examples of modern "smart" distributed energy resource (DER) deployments and related research efforts. It was presented to a group of utility regulators as part of a workshop intended to help regulators understand DERs and how they can be deployed.

distributed energy resources↗

Self-Secure Inverters Against Malicious Setpoints

The next generation of grid-interactive inverters brings a communication feature that allows data sharing from utility supervisory controllers and smart devices that are connected to the same network. This feature enhances the control capabilities of grid-interactive inverters to provide services beyond active power injection. However, communication networks entail more vulnerable surfaces to malicious attacks that may result in modifying active and reactive power setpoints and causing weak-grid conditions or abnormal inverter operation. In this paper, steady-state and the dynamic behavior of the inverter for the incoming setpoints are analyzed to detect false data injection attacks and provide device-level security. The steady-state behavior of the inverter in the operating region is determined from the grid parameters such as the grid voltage and the grid impedance. These estimations are accomplished by the proposed self-security technique through a low-frequency signal injection-based approach combined with the recursive least square method. Moreover, a reduced fourth-order inverter model is used as the dynamic reference model, and grid parameters as well as the incoming setpoints are implemented to the reference model to verify whether the dynamic behavior of the inverter is inside the permissible region of operation. The validity and performance of the proposed method are verified experimentally through Allen-Bradley Powerflex 755 three-phase inverter and a 12 kW NHR 9410 regenerative power grid emulator. The results show that the self-secure smart-inverter is able to accept or reject the incoming commands and thus is protected from malicious cyber-physical attacks.

Hossen, Tareq↗

Improved Line Outage Detection in Transmission Systems with Few PMUs

Unlike transmission systems, distribution systems historically lack enough measurements, making their real-time monitoring almost impossible. Recent deployment of diverse types of devices such as phasor measurement units (PMUs), smart meters, solar inverters and weather information sensors opens up new ways of monitoring these systems, with the assistance of customized machine learning (ML) applications. The paper describes a grid-model-informed machine learning (ML) tool which integrates heterogeneous data streams and creates synchronous measurement snapshots to be used by a hybrid robust state estimator (SE) which provides not only accurate state estimates but also real-time feedback for ML model refinement. Improved monitoring performance due to the use of developed computational framework is experimentally observed by simulated scenarios on an electric utility’s distribution system.

Distribution systems, graph learning, machine lear↗

Demand Response in Residential Energy Code: Technical Brief

As buildings account for over 75% of U.S. electricity use, effectively managing their loads can greatly facilitate the transition towards a clean, reliable grid. Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) combine efficiency and demand flexibility with smart technologies and communication to provide occupant comfort and productivity while serving the grid as a distributed energy resource (DER). In turn, GEBs can play a key role in ensuring access to an affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern U.S. electric power system. Their national adoption could provide $\$$100-200 billion in U.S. electric power system cost savings over the next two decades. The associated reduction in CO 2 emissions is estimated at 6% per year by 2030 (DOE 2021). Building codes represent standard design practice in the construction industry and continually evolve to include advanced technologies and innovative practices. Historically, national model energy codes establish minimum efficiency requirements for new construction (ICC 2020). Expanding codes to support GEB capabilities is a pivotal step towards realizing demand flexibility in support of a clean grid by addressing capabilities to improve interoperability between smart building systems, the grid, and renewable energy resources. Realizing GEBs requires buildings with automated demand response (DR) capabilities that enable standardized communication with or control of, subject to explicit consumer consent, energy smart appliances or home energy management systems. This is achieved through direct or indirect (i.e., via an aggregator) communication between appliances and the electric grid. Energy codes can also support DR communication standardization and advance the deployment of building-integrated DERs such as energy storage, generation, and electric vehicles (EVs). Incorporating automated DR capabilities in energy codes provides many benefits to the consumers. Specifically, it aligns building electric load demand with intermittent renewable energy source availability, decreases peak load on the electric grid, allows buildings to respond to utility price signals, supports electrical network reliability and market growth of products and processes aligned with clean economic growth. The incorporation of DR into the model residential energy codes was considered for both the 2021 and 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) code development cycles. The approved DR measures in the 2021 cycle were removed in response to appeals (ICC 2020). Updated language was presented for consideration again for the 2024 IECC, where it was negotiated and again approved, and again removed in response to appeals (ICC 2024). This resulted in many sections, including sections on demand responsive controls, being moved to the credits options or an appendix as a voluntary application. This technical brief updates the proposed DR components such that they can be considered by states and local governments for direct incorporation into their codes, as well as for future IECC energy code development. The proposal refinements are intended to support consistency in approach and provide a degree of certainty for building owners, designers, contractors, manufacturers, and building and fire safety professionals. The scope of this technical brief includes three strategies for DR in residential buildings: 1) smart thermostats with demand-responsive control, 2) electric water heating incorporating demand-responsive controls and communication and 3) grid Integrated solar and energy storage systems.

2021 IECC↗

Autonomous Restoration of Networked Microgrids Using Communication-Free Smart Sensing and Protection Units

Here this paper presents autonomous restoration of networked microgrids using distributed energy resources (DERs), inverter-based resources (IBRs) in general, and controllable assets of intelligence without communication to achieve a extremely resilient power system restoration. The main innovation of this work lies in use of real-time smart sensing and decision making that enable autonomous recombination of islanded microgrids, which are individually black-started by local grid-forming (GFM) inverter units. The smart circuit breakers (SCBs) designed and demonstrated here play critical roles in the restoration process to achieve autonomy; the autonomous restoration scheme is not pre-engineered and may be subject to encounter overloading, live or downed segments as the boundary of the microgrids dynamically expands without prior knowledge and only with local measurement. We demonstrate autonomous microgrid restoration both in simulation of a modified IEEE 13-bus system, and in a hardware testbed comprising 24 GFM-IBRs and 6-SCBs, depicting several scenarios to evaluate their functionalities and interoperability. This work validates high potential of extremely resilient microgrid using novel approaches for inverter-based bottom-up system restoration in a communication-free paradigm.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Hierarchical, Grid-Aware, and Economically Optimal Coordination of Distributed Energy Resources in Realistic Distribution Systems

Renewable portfolio standards are targeting high levels of variable solar photovoltaics (PV) in electric distribution systems, which makes reliability more challenging to maintain for distribution system operators (DSOs). Distributed energy resources (DERs), including smart, connected appliances and PV inverters, represent responsive grid resources that can provide flexibility to support the DSO in actively managing their networks to facilitate reliability under extreme levels of solar PV. This flexibility can also be used to optimize system operations with respect to economic signals from wholesale energy and ancillary service markets. Here, we present a novel hierarchical scheme that actively controls behind-the-meter DERs to reliably manage each unbalanced distribution feeder and exploits the available flexibility to ensure reliable operation and economically optimizes the entire distribution network. Each layer of the scheme employs advanced optimization methods at different timescales to ensure that the system operates within both grid and device limits. The hierarchy is validated in a large-scale realistic simulation based on data from the industry. Simulation results show that coordination of flexibility improves both system reliability and economics, and enables greater penetration of solar PV. Discussion is also provided on the practical viability of the required communications and controls to implement the presented scheme within a large DSO.

distribution network↗