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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) Grid Optimization with Solar (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report)

The purpose of this project is to provide a software platform that gives utility companies the capability to seamlessly dispatch legacy devices (at both the distribution and subtransmission levels) and distributed energy resources (DERs) to achieve system-wide performance and reliability targets–such as minimizing loss, reducing voltage violation, and corresponding imbalance–for extreme solar futures with well over 100% (capacity) penetrations.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Impacts of Integrating Topology Reconfiguration and Vehicle-to-Grid Technologies on Distribution System Operation

Autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) provide unique opportunities to cope with the uncertainties of distributed energy generation in distribution networks. But the effects are limited by both inherent radial topology and the behaviors of decentralized AEVs. As such, we investigate the potential benefits of dynamic distribution network reconfiguration (DDNR), taking into account AEVs' spatial-temporal availability and their charging demand. We propose a mixed integer programming model to optimally coordinate the charging/discharging of AEVs with DDNR, while satisfying AEVs' original travel plan. Numerical studies based on a test system overlaying the IEEE 33-node test feeder and Sioux Falls transportation network show that DDNR and AEV complement each other, which improves the operation of the distribution system. We also conduct sensitivity analyses on inputs including renewable fluctuation and AEVs penetration level.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Coordinated operation of pumped-storage hydropower with power and water distribution systems

Small pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) units have gained popularity as distributed energy storage options that can provide flexibility to the operation of power distribution systems. Optimal operation of small PSH units is not only dependent on the energy storage provided to power distribution system, but also on the inflow and outflow of water from and to the water distribution system. Here, in this context, this paper develops an optimization model for coordinated operation of PSH units with power and water distribution systems. The proposed model optimizes the operation of water tanks, variable-speed pumps and PSH in pumping and generating modes to minimize the operation cost of power distribution system, while respecting the power flow constraints of power distribution and hydraulic constraints of water distribution system. Appropriate electricity tariffs are implemented to avoid additional expenses in water distribution system that can be enforced by its coordinated operation in favor of power distribution system. The proposed model is implemented on a 33-bus and a 123-bus test power distribution system connected to a 16-node test water distribution system. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed model in tapping PSH flexibility to reduce the operation cost of power and water distribution systems, while meeting the power and water demands.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Distribution System Planning for Growth in Residential Electric Vehicle Adoption

Anticipated growth in Electric Vehicles (EV) adoption could stress distribution system circuits beyond their original design limits. Uncertainties related to when households will begin buying EVs in large numbers challenges existing distribution system planning approaches and complicates efforts to assess grid impacts. Anticipated location, timing, and demand for EV charging is critical information for distribution system planners as it guides investment strategies for infrastructure upgrades to ensure continued reliability. This research makes two significant contributions: an EV adoption model that uses socioeconomic data to forecast location and year-specific adoption patterns through a bottoms-up approach, and an EV hosting capacity assessment methodology that offers improvements to current utility planning and asset management practices for infrastructure investments. Both contributions are applied to a Southern California Edison feeder in 7 adoption years from 2025 to 2050, with the results indicating that they are likely valuable additions to distribution systems planning capabilities.

Sridhar, Siddharth↗
DOE OSTI2021

An Overview of Issues Related to IEEE Std 1547-2018 Requirements Regarding Voltage and Reactive Power Control

The revised Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547 Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces (IEEE Std 1547-2018) was published in April 2018. This standard is one of the foundational documents in the United States needed for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar energy systems, with the electric distribution grid. The revised standard contains 11 chapters (clauses) and 8 annexes that comprise 136 pages. The revision is significantly different from the 2003 version, and it contains new concepts and new technical requirements. Each clause specifies information or requirements that apply to certain aspects important to the interconnection of DERs to the electric power system. Implementing the requirements necessitates a careful study of the underlying technical concept and requires the appropriate information required to calculate relevant settings and configurations. Various stakeholders have different roles in implementing the standard, and portions of the standard are directed toward a specific audience who must possess specialized information and technical training to use and apply the requirements. This document aims to (1) summarize a specific portion of the standard as concisely as possible and (2) provide the reader with introductory knowledge and information to support the utilization of the requirements.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Detecting Anomalies for Fire Prevention in Distribution Systems: Challenges and Analytical Techniques

Electric utilities in California have historically been linked to up to 10% of wildfires. To mitigate this risk, Southern California Edison has invested significantly in wildfire prevention strategies, including undergrounding cables and enhancing equipment inspections. This article explores a novel approach to fire prevention by detecting anomalies in the distribution system that may indicate potential fire hazards. The focus is on identifying arcing conditions through high-resolution point-on-wave (POW) measurements. Arcing, a precursor to fires, is challenging to detect due to its subtle transients and complex system topology. The article discusses the use of advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques, such as spectral correlation function and discrete wavelet transform, to extract features from POW data and accurately identify arcing events. The study demonstrates a high accuracy rate in detecting arcing, paving the way for improved fire prevention measures in electric distribution systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reinforcement Learning for Distribution Grid Optimization (PyCIGAR) v0.1

PyCIGAR is a python software package that merges off-the-shelf reinforcement learning libraries (RLLib and Ray) with electric power distribution system simulation tools (OpenDSS and a custom power flow solver built by LBL). PyCIGAR enables the training of neural networks to optimize the behavior of different components in the electric distribution grid, such as control systems in photovoltaic rooftop solar inverters and electric battery storage systems. The software package has been used to train neural networks to update settings in photovoltaic rooftop solar inverter control systems to mitigate cyber attacks on other solar photovoltaic rooftop devices.

Arnold, Daniel↗
DOE OSTI2021

Background Information on the Power Quality Requirements in IEEE Std 1547-2018

The revised Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547-2018, Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces, was published in April 2018. This standard is one of the foundational documents in the United States needed for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar energy systems, and energy storage systems with the electric distribution grid. The revised standard contains 11 chapters (clauses) and 8 annexes that comprise 136 pages. The revision is significantly different from the 2003 version, and it contains new concepts and new technical requirements. Each clause specifies information or requirements that apply to certain aspects that are important to the interconnection of DERs to the electric power system. Implementing the requirements necessitates a careful study of the underlying technical concepts and requires appropriate information to calculate relevant settings and configurations. This document provides informative material on the requirements related to electrical power quality in IEEE Std 1547-2018, with the intent to equip the reader with basic knowledge and background information to improve understanding and use of the requirements specified.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Power quality disturbances diagnosis: A 2D densely connected convolutional network framework

The fast and accurate diagnosis of power quality disturbances (PQD) aids in avoiding shutdowns and unnecessary procedures, concerning electric energy distribution systems. As such, a number of techniques have been tested and applied in order to reach this objective. Majority of the techniques applied are two-step based. On the first step, power quality disturbances features are extracted. Second step, considering features extracted, disturbance classification is implemented. Recently, relevant literature has presented data-driven signal processing-based approaches, as deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN), which can implement both processing steps while providing automated recognition of patterns and outliers in data. However, not considered by state-of-art, power quality disturbances are evolving in nature, while all possible regularities might not be represented in the dataset. In this work a 2 Dimension Densely Connected Convolutional Network (2D-DenseNet) framework is presented. Further, a case study with synthetic disturbance events are analyzed. Easy-to-implement formulation, built on the 2D-DenseNet, without hard-to-design parameters, highlight potential aspects for real-life implementation.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Retail Rate Projections for Long-Term Electricity System Models

Electricity prices reported in most electricity-system planning studies leave out many price components and do not translate into retail rates, making it difficult to interpret how projected electricity system changes will impact costs to consumers. Full transmission costs are left out of many studies; distribution and administration costs are similarly excluded or highly simplified. Here, we present a detailed bottom-up accounting method for projecting future retail electricity rates in the United States. Making the simplifying assumption that each state is served by an investor-owned utility (IOU), we translate projected generation and transmission capacity and costs from the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) capacity-expansion model into IOU balance sheet expenditures, accounting for depreciation, taxes, and the breakdown between operating and capitalized (rate-based) expenses. Distribution, administration, and intra-regional transmission costs are projected forward based on empirical trends over the past decade. Modeled bottom-up electricity rates are compared to historical rates from 2010-2019, and the sensitivity of modeled rates to a range of financing and modeling assumptions is explored. Distribution and administration rate components account for roughly 40% (4.4 ¢/kWh) of the projected national-average retail rate over 2020-2050 under central assumptions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electrical Fault Detection, Power Quality, Distributed Energy Resource Use Cases, and Cyber Event Applications with the Cyber Grid Guard System Using Distributed Ledger Technology

Electrical utilities continue to deploy more intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) inside and outside electrical substation and are associated with distributed energy resources (DERs). The integrity and confidentiality of data from IEDs is crucial, and distributed ledger technology (DLT) could improve the resilience of microgrids by helping to make these data more secure. The most popular applications using blockchain technology for electrical utilities is in the field is based on energy trading. However, the dynamism of the penetration of customer owned DERs and the deployment of sensors with IEDs have led to the identification of new applications using DLT that are focused on other areas, such as monitoring, operation and management of the grid and its assets. In addition, the majority of studies on electrical grid applications with blockchain were validated with software simulations. Although general monitoring of power systems for using DLT could be evaluated in operational electric grids, other DLT research applications such as defense against cyber-attacks and/or electrical fault detection are not likely to be performed in a real infrastructure because of possible risks to the network/equipment security. This report summarizes the application of power system applications using distributed ledger technology (DLT), providing a secure DLT framework for collecting data from IEDs like power meters and protective relays inside and outside of an electrical substation and/or between two different electrical utilities. In this study, the use case scenarios were created and assessed for different power system application by using DLT. The electrical fault detection for faulted phases (1), power quality monitoring of phase voltage magnitudes, frequency levels and load power factor (2), DERs use case monitoring (3), and cyber-event applications (4) were performed in a test bed with a Cyber-Grid Guard (CGG) system using DLT. It had a real-time simulator with power meters and protective relays in-the-loop. The first section of this report presents a literature review of power system applications using blockchain at research level. The second section shows the theory and equations used on this report. The third section shows the description of the test bed, equipment, architecture, and electrical grid diagrams. The fourth section shows the experimental models and use case scenarios that were performed for the electrical fault detection, power quality, DERs use case, and cyber event applications with the CGG system using DLT. The fifth section shows the results collected from the tests based on comparing the time stamped events of the analog signals from the IEDs, DLT computer and real time simulator. The sixth section performed the discussion of the results for the use case scenarios. Finally, section seven presents the conclusions for this report were presented.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Distribution System Dataset Generator for AI Applications [SWR-24-75]

This software is a simple, light-weight python package to generate pytorch compatible machine learning graph dataset representing electric power distribution system. User is able to use these graph datasets to test their graph generation artificial intelligence (AI) models, link prediction AI models, graph classification AI models and so much more. This package uses grid-data-models (https://github.com/NREL-Distribution-Suites/grid-data-models) as input data format for power distribution system. NREL-Ditto (https://github.com/NREL-Distribution-Suites/ditto) tool can be leveraged to transform popular distribution system file formats such as opendss, cyme and synergi to grid-data-models.

Duwadi, Kapil↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electric Access System Enhancement (EASE): Assessment of a Distributed Energy Resource Management System for Enabling Dynamic Hosting Capacity

The Electric Access System Enhancement (EASE) project demonstrated a scalable, interoperable, and cost-effective means of integrating high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs). The control architecture developed leveraged a Distributed Energy Resource Management System, Distribution System Operator for transacting energy, and 3rd Party DER Aggregator platform. The project identified ways to enhance the customer interconnection process to the grid and improve access to information from DERs and optimize the usage of DERs to provide energy services in a simulated day-ahead shadow market while maintain grid reliability. By integrating these capabilities into a scalable system of systems, the DSO can effectively balance DER generation and customer demand on the distribution network. This capability allows the grid to host more DER than traditionally possible on wires alone. Hosting more DER has the added benefit of supplying increased demand growth, sometimes beyond the capacity limits of the distribution network itself. This is known as a dynamic hosting capacity, which could help utilities manage the forecasted growth in electricity demand as California switch to electric vehicles and appliances. This could help to establish energy storage and PV generation as a “pseudo firm” generation resource mix if managed appropriately and provide sufficient resource adequacy for distribution capacity upgrade deferrals.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

2022 Small Turbine Certification Awardee: NPS Solutions

Inverters convert the direct current power generated by wind turbines into the alternating current needed to serve local loads and feed onto the electricity grid. Although distributed wind systems typically supply electricity for homes and businesses near the turbines, these systems can also provide clean power to strengthen grid resilience. Certification to UL 1741 SA ensures that inverters will enable distributed wind turbines to provide grid support services and stay online when the grid experiences stability issues. Small companies often find the electrical listing process too complex and expensive to undertake on their own, so few distributed wind turbine inverters are certified to this standard. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) award is helping NPS Solutions (NPS) secure this critical certification for the inverter in its 100-kilowatt NPS 100C wind turbine, which is optimized for on-site generation at farms, businesses, schools, hospitals, and remote locations.

CIP↗
DOE OSTI2026

Distribution System Plan Template and Guide for Electric Utilities for Adaptation by States and Utilities [Slides]

LBNL researchers developed a template and companion guide for structuring distribution system plans. The template covers 10 key sections in utility distribution system plans and underlying topics: -Executive Summary -Planning Objectives -Current Distribution System -Planning Approach -Asst Management, Reliability and Resilience -O&M Expenses -Capacity Expansion Planning -Solution Identification -Cost-effectiveness -Implementation For each section in the template, the companion guide provides: a description of the topics covered and their importance; the type of content to include in the plan; an example utility approach; and references to other utility plans that serve as models for the topic.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Real-Time Distributed Control of Smart Inverters for Network-level Optimization

The limitations of centralized optimization methods in managing electric power distribution systems operations have led to the distributed paradigm of computing and decision-making. Unfortunately, the existing distributed optimization algorithms are limited in their applicability to managing fast varying phenomena such as those resulting from highly variable Distributed Energy Resource (DER) generation patterns. They require a large number of communication rounds (in the order of 10 2 to 10 3 ) among the computing agents to solve one instance of the optimization problem. Related real-time distributed control methods are equally limited in their applications to power distribution systems with fast-changing DER generation; they require hundreds of rounds of communication and thus are slow in tracking the network-level optimal solutions. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed voltage controller that provides a fast-tracking of rapidly varying DER generation profiles while simultaneously converging to network-level optimal solutions within a few communication rounds. The proposed control algorithm leverages the radial topology of the system, which reduces the required communication rounds to reach the network-level optimum solution by order of magnitude. The novelty lies in carefully reducing the electrical network model from the perspective of each distributed controller and enabling appropriate data sharing among upstream and downstream nodes to achieve fast convergence. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in minimizing the feeder losses while maintaining the node voltage within the pre-specified limits.

voltage control, optimization, reactive power, inv↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multiperiod Distribution System Restoration With Routing Repair Crews, Mobile Electric Vehicles, and Soft-Open-Point Networked Microgrids

This paper proposes a distribution system restoration model which is in response to multiple outages caused by natural disasters. The proposed restoration model includes the coordination of routing repair crews (RRCs), mobile batterycarried vehicles (MBCVs), and networked microgrids (NMGs) formed by soft open points (SOPs). The travel and repair time constraints are modeled for each RRC; travel path and charging strategy are modeled for each MBCV; and the network reconfiguration is developed considering the optimal operation of SOP-based NMGs. Furthermore, the proposed model is presented as a mixedinteger linear program which is solved by an auxiliary induce function based algorithm to reduce the computational complexity. The modified IEEE 33-bus and 69-bus distribution systems are tested with multiple outages. The presented results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗