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At least 1,441 records · Page 80

Estimating and Calibrating DER Model Parameters Using Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm in Renewable Rich Power Grid

The proliferation of inverter-based distributed energy resources (IBDERs) has increased the number of control variables and dynamic interactions, leading to new grid control challenges. For stability analysis and designing appropriate protection controls, it is important that IBDER models are accurate. This paper focuses on the accurate estimation and parameter calibration of DER_A, a recently proposed aggregated IBDER model. In particular, we focus on the parameters of the reactive power–voltage regulation module. We formulate the problem of parameter tuning as a non-linear least square minimization problem and solve it using the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) method. The LM method is primarily chosen due to its flexibility in adaptively selecting between the steepest descent and Gauss–Newton methods through a damping parameter. The LM approach is used to minimize the error between the actual measurements and the estimated response of the model. Further, the computational challenges posed by the numerical calculation of the Jacobian are tackled using a quasi-Newton root-finding approach. The proposed method is validated on a real feeder model in the northeastern part of the United States. The feeder is modeled in OpenDSS and the measurements thus obtained are fed to the DER_A model for calibration. The simulation results indicate that our approach is able to successfully calibrate the relevant model parameters quickly and with high accuracy, with a total sum of square error of 3.57 × 10 –7 .

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Cybersecurity Considerations for Grid-Connected Batteries with Hardware Demonstrations

The share of renewable and distributed energy resources (DERs), like wind turbines, solar photovoltaics and grid-connected batteries, interconnected to the electric grid is rapidly increasing due to reduced costs, rising efficiency, and regulatory requirements aimed at incentivizing a lower-carbon electricity system. These distributed energy resources differ from traditional generation in many ways including the use of many smaller devices connected primarily (but not exclusively) to the distribution network, rather than few larger devices connected to the transmission network. DERs being installed today often include modern communication hardware like cellular modems and WiFi connectivity and, in addition, the inverters used to connect these resources to the grid are gaining increasingly complex capabilities, like providing voltage and frequency support or supporting microgrids. To perform these new functions safely, communications to the device and more complex controls are required. The distributed nature of DER devices combined with their network connectivity and complex controls interfaces present a larger potential attack surface for adversaries looking to create instability in power systems. To address this area of concern, the steps of a cyberattack on DERs have been studied, including the security of industrial protocols, the misuse of the DER interface, and the physical impacts. These different steps have not previously been tied together in practice and not specifically studied for grid-connected storage devices. In this work, we focus on grid-connected batteries. We explore the potential impacts of a cyberattack on a battery to power system stability, to the battery hardware, and on economics for various stakeholders. We then use real hardware to demonstrate end-to-end attack paths exist when security features are disabled or misconfigured. Our experimental focus is on control interface security and protocol security, with the initial assumption that an adversary has gained access to the network to which the device is connected. We provide real examples of the effectiveness of certain defenses. This work can be used to help utilities and other grid-connected battery owners and operators evaluate the severity of different threats and the effectiveness of defense strategies so they can effectively deploy and protect grid-connected storage devices.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Comparison between the South Pacific Convergence Zone and South Atlantic Convergence Zone in January 1979

Using one of the FGGE data sets, the eddy potential and eddy kinetic energy budgets during the period of January 10-27, 1979 were derived for the regions containing the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) and the South Atlantic Convergence Zone. A complete set of energy equations developed by Brennan and Vincent (1980) was partitioned into zonal and eddy components; the eddy forms of energy were derived from a grid point's departure from the zonal average over a 5-deg latitude belt. The results of the analysis indicate that the eddy kinetic energy content (KE) is greater than the eddy available potential energy content (AE) throughout the period. Both AE and KE show large losses beginning when the SPCZ enters a decaying state: AE shows a gradual but slow decrease until after January 22, when it decreases rapidly; KE oscillates, reaching a maximum on January 22 before a rapid decrease.

Vincent, Dayton G.↗

Discovering the Most Severe K-Point Failure Based on Reinforcement Learning: Preprint

Smart devices are essential to ensure the stability of the power grid and resilience to intermittent energy production. However, smart devices can also be the target of cyber adversaries that may exploit false data injection attacks (FDIAs) to induce unstable grid conditions. A practical consideration of FDIA mitigation approaches is addressed here: given a finite available budget, for which smart device should cyber-threat mitigation be deployed first? In this work, this question is answered by identifying the so-called most-sensitive devices, i.e., the devices that, if compromised, can let an adversary induce the most serious grid instabilities. The method proposed utilizes an adversarial reinforcement learning (RL) framework to identify the k-mostsensitive smart devices (here, smart inverters). The adversarial agent can tamper with the compromised inverters' active and reactive operating power setup points, with the goal of maximizing voltage deviations. Numerical results show that the proposed RL method finds the optimal attack scenarios for 1-point failure and the near-optimal solution for the 2-point case. Additionally, the proposed RL method achieves an 8.8 speed-up ratio in running time compared to the brute force method for the 2-point case.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Geospatial mapping of distribution grid with machine learning and publicly-accessible multi-modal data

Abstract Detailed and location-aware distribution grid information is a prerequisite for various power system applications such as renewable energy integration, wildfire risk assessment, and infrastructure planning. However, a generalizable and scalable approach to obtain such information is still lacking. In this work, we develop a machine-learning-based framework to map both overhead and underground distribution grids using widely-available multi-modal data including street view images, road networks, and building maps. Benchmarked against the utility-owned distribution grid map in California, our framework achieves > 80% precision and recall on average in the geospatial mapping of grids. The framework developed with the California data can be transferred to Sub-Saharan Africa and maintain the same level of precision without fine-tuning, demonstrating its generalizability. Furthermore, our framework achieves a R 2 of 0.63 in measuring the fraction of underground power lines at the aggregate level for estimating grid exposure to wildfires. We offer the framework as an open tool for mapping and analyzing distribution grids solely based on publicly-accessible data to support the construction and maintenance of reliable and clean energy systems around the world.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Computational Math Problems for a Clean Energy Future

Cutting edge computational mathematics are ubiquitous in renewable energy research. Problems in resilient and reliable electric grid operations, infrastructure planning, wind farm yaw control, and more demand sophisticated and scalable computational tools that enable the transition of renewable energy technologies from proof of concept to deployment into our energy system. The mission of the Computational Science Center at NREL is to lead the lab's efforts to solve energy challenges using high-performance computing (HPC), computational science, applied mathematics, scientific data management, visualization, and informatics. In this poster, we provide a short overview of three areas of computational mathematics research at NREL: wind power scenario generation for stochastic grid operations and infrastructure planning, improved rational function approximations for electromagnetic transients codes, and wind farm yaw control using a combination of the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) and reinforcement learning (RL). Increasing penetrations of renewable energy into power grids motivate the investigation of new approaches to characterizing uncertainty for five-minute economic dispatch problems. Similarly, as the penetration of distributed energy resources on power grids increases, it becomes important to revisit our methods of modelling transient phenomena, i.e. electromagnetic transients programs. Finally, the combination of ADMM and RL for wind farm yaw control presented here can potentially increase the efficiency of the deployed distributed controllers by orders of magnitude.

ADMM↗

Enhancing Short-Term Flexibility through Characterization of HVDC Transmission Systems

Efficient power grid operation hinges on maintaining safety and reliability through adaptable system flexibility standards. However, in a future power grid characterized by extensive renewable energy integration, conventional system flexibility and predetermined requirements may falter under extreme conditions. This paper addresses the formidable challenge of sustaining secure and dependable power grid operations under these circumstances, emphasizing the role of controllable high voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission systems in amplifying overall system flexibility and tackling operational complexities. To quantitatively assess short-term flexibility and its associated economic benefits from HVdc within specific regions, we propose a Power Flow Distribution Factors (PTDFs) based approach. This methodology takes into account both dispatchable generators and HVdc systems, pinpointing their contributions. Through an analysis of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system, we demonstrate the practical application of this approach to scrutinize the impacts of existing and future HVdc lines.

Operational Flexibility, Multi-terminal HVdc, tran↗

Evaluation of Commercially Available Proprietary Vehicle-to-Home Systems: A V2X Connect Project Report

Bidirectional charging and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technologies enable the energy stored in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle’s (PHEV) or battery electric vehicle’s (BEV) onboard battery to supply residential loads during grid outages and support broader energy management objectives. Conventional backup solutions, such as Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and standalone inverter systems, are limited in capacity and scalability, whereas PHEV/BEV-based storage offers substantially greater energy reserves that can sustain household loads for extended periods.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Dispatching Grid-Forming Inverters in Grid-Connected and Islanded Mode

This paper explores the dispatchability of grid-forming (GFM) inverters in grid-connected and islanded mode. GFM inverters usually use droop control to automatically share power with other GFM sources (inverters and synchronous generators) and follow the change in the load demand; however, they can be dispatched like their grid-following (GFL) counterparts to output the target active and reactive power. This will help grid operators better manage their inverter-based resources (IBRs) to improve operation efficiency and reliability; therefore, this paper proposes an innovative concept of dispatching GFM sources (inverters and synchronous generators) to output the target power in both grid-connected and islanded mode by adjusting their droop intercepts. The fundamental principle is that the GFM inverter's active and reactive power is dictated by its frequency and voltage, and thus dispatching the active and reactve power of a GFM inverter can be achieved through dispatching its frequency and voltage. Moreover, the concept distinguishes the dispatch rules for grid-connected and islanded mode. Finally, the concept is validated with an example microgrid system with two GFM inverters, one diesel generator, one GFL inverter, and the load in both grid-connected and islanded mode. This pioneering work results in practical guidance for the development of energy management systems for future electric grids with GFM and GFL inverters.

dispatching↗

Multi-layered Resilient Microgrid Networks

Distribution grid resilience, especially when the grid is under high penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DER), e.g. PV and energy storage, is essential to ensure the quality of electric power services. The resiliency aspect is particularly important for critical loads that typically include hospitals, police/fire stations, and national security facilities. Networks of multiple interconnected reconfigurable microgrids help to increase renewable energy penetration and may be used as basic building blocks for implementing future resilient power grids. However, this integration requires additional layers of communications, both horizontal and vertical, which may substantially increase the potential cyber attack surfaces as well as escalate risks for wide-spread malfunctions of automation systems. The Mulit-layered Resilient Microgrid Networks project is an industry-academic collaboration between ABB, Duke Energy and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) that has developed and demonstrated a cyber-physical resilient control and communication architecture for deployment of multiple microgrid networks, as well as retrofitting the existing distribution grids by increasing DER penetration levels.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Fundamental benchmarking of the discharge properties of negative electrodes in lead acid batteries

The unprecedented scale of energy storage deployment needed to allow high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the electrical grid places significant economic cost and performance targets on battery technologies. Lead batteries, owing to their highly abundant and inexpensive raw materials, can be considered an important solution to grid storage as long as they achieve high material utilization, fast recharge rates, and long cycle life. To address the limitations in material utilization, we need to revisit the electrochemical processes during the discharge step and answer the following question: what are the fundamental limits of the discharge reaction? In this work we discuss how well-defined lead metal surfaces with nanometer scale roughness allow us to resolve the accessible discharge capacity for both faradaic and non-faradaic processes as a function of electrolyte concentration and in the presence of traditional additives. The direct connection between PbSO 4 layer morphology and discharge rates gives us important insights on the mechanism of discharge as related to the dissolution and passivation events. In conclusion, this work sets the stage for reimagining the design of lead batteries with implications to grid storage applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Efficient Refrigerated Display Cases - Can They Flex Their Power? Preprint

Refrigerated display cases are widely-used, critical equipment in supermarkets for maintaining product safety and quality. Energy-efficient medium temperature liquid-cooled refrigerated display cases can save 25-70% of the total supermarket energy, according to manufacturers. Traditionally, cases operate by maintaining a temperature around a user-input setpoint that is dependent on the product in the case. Although cases are major electrical energy consumers, they are hardly ever considered for implementing load-flexibility strategies. With added load-flexibility capabilities, refrigerated display cases can shed (reduce), or shift (by adding and subsequently shedding) load. Supermarkets can reduce their energy costs and enhance electric grid integrity by implementing these smart load-flexibility control strategies. Advanced controls can also enable load-shifting to coincide with optimum periods of renewable energy generation. This will further improve operational costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without compromising food safety and quality. In this research, we have evaluated the energy savings of liquid-cooled medium temperature display cases and developed load flexibility strategies leveraging an advanced controls system, a variable speed compressor, and heat rejection via a water-cooled condenser. This study further assessed the impact of load flexibility strategies in a controlled environment chamber for a single refrigerated display case.

ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION↗

Final Technical Report of a Feasibility Investigation of a Hydropower Flexibility Upgrade Kit

The project studied the feasibility of a concept for a flexibility upgrade kit called h-Dynamyk to improve the flexibility of U.S. hydropower plants and assessed its potential impact on the U.S. hydropower industry. This concept addresses the growing need for grid flexibility amid rising renewable energy adoption, such as wind and solar, which often introduce intermittency. The upgrade kit is intended to address challenges posed by aging turbine designs in meeting modern grid demands for flexibility services like frequency response, voltage control, spinning reserve, and black-start capabilities. Key features of the h-Dynamyk kit include siphon turbine assemblies, medium-voltage variable frequency drives (VFDs), and smart controls integrated with plant systems to optimize operations and extend equipment life. This nine-month discovery project successfully achieved its objectives by defining a baseline design and performance metrics for the h-Dynamyk flexibility upgrade kit, analyzing this baseline, and incorporating lessons learned from this analysis into a modified set of metrics and recommendations for future design and testing, which were further guided by field site studies.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Predictive-Maintenance Practices: For Operational Safety of Battery Energy Storage Systems

Changes in the Demand Profile and a growing role for renewable and distributed generation are leading to rapid evolution in the electric grid. These changes are beginning to considerably strain the transmission and distribution infrastructure. Utilities are increasingly recognizing that the integration of energy storage in the grid infrastructure will help manage intermittency and improve grid reliability. This recognition, coupled with the proliferation of state-level renewable portfolio standards and rapidly declining lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery costs, has led to a surge in the deployment of battery energy storage systems (BESSs). Additionally, although BESSs represented less than 1% of grid-scale energy storage in the United States in 2019, they are the preferred technology to meet growing demand because they are modular, scalable, and easy to deploy across diverse use cases and geographic locations.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Innovation in complementary energy technologies from renewable energy policies

Complementary renewable technologies support renewable energy use as they can help balance the intermittency of solar and wind generation. Previous research has shown that environmental policies directly targeting renewable energy can drive innovation in solar PV and wind technology. This study explores the impact of renewable policies on innovation in complementary renewable technology that assists with integration, including combustion with mitigation potential, efficient power transmission or distribution, and enabling technologies. We use negative binomial models and a panel of 25 OECD countries from 1997 to 2015 to evaluate these relationships. We are not able to find evidence that renewable policies incentivize innovation in complementary combustion or transmission and distribution technologies, and only limited evidence that demand-pull instruments are associated with increased innovation in smart grid technology. Technology-push policies, such as public research and development funds for renewable energy, have had limited impact on grid-supporting energy storage innovation. Our findings suggest that policymakers wishing to accelerate these complementary technologies need to go beyond policies targeting renewable energy in order to drive innovation in complementary fields.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) FAST Commissioning Prize Technical Analysis

The US energy landscape has undergone major changes over the past 10 years and will continue to see significant changes in future decades as the power grid increases its reliance on variable renewable energy resources. Because of the inherent variability of these resources, renewable energy growth may require additional energy storage capacity to provide flexible load-following capabilities and other grid services that can quickly adjust to changes in energy demand and generation. Pumped storage hydropower (PSH)—one such energy storage technology—uses pumps to convey water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir for energy storage and releases water back to the lower reservoir via a powerhouse for hydropower generation. PSH facility pump and generation cycling often follows economic and energy demand conditions. Across the United States, 43 PSH facilities are in operation and 55 projects are in various permitting or licensing stages. Altogether, the 43 operational projects provide the wide majority (95%) of utility-scale electricity storage in the United States. These facilities also provide significant power and nonpower grid benefits, including large-scale electrical system reserve capacity, grid reliability support, and electricity supply-demand balancing through quick-response capabilities and operational flexibility. PSH systems can accomplish these at a scale (e.g., size) and cost that makes these systems highly attractive from a technical standpoint. Although these research concepts are still in their infancy, they demonstrate promising potential as future PSH energy storage technologies. Although PSH has many advantages, development in the United States has effectively stalled since the 1990s, partially because of the magnitude of project costs and financing interest during development and construction, the length of time from project investment until project revenue begins, permitting challenges, construction risks, competition from other storage technologies (e.g., batteries, hydrogen storage), and electricity market evolution and uncertainty. In short, the time, cost, and risk associated with modern PSH development have resulted in limited growth in the United States recently, despite the growing energy storage demand stemming from increased wind and solar power deployment. Technology innovation is needed to help reduce PSH commissioning time, cost, and risk, particularly during the post-licensing phase of project development. To address challenges facing the PSH industry and to improve PSH commissioning timelines, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) initiated the PSH Furthering Advancements to Shorten Time to (FAST) Commissioning Prize project.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Energy Storage Siting and Permitting Outreach Workshop Report

On March 24th, 2026, under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff hosted the Energy Storage Siting & Permitting Outreach Workshop at PNNL’s Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL) facility in Richland, Washington. The workshop convened a cohort of state and regional stakeholders from across the country to build a shared understanding of energy storage technologies, regulatory frameworks, and best practices for engaging in the permitting process. Participants left with a deeper understanding of energy storage technologies, grid uses and benefits, interconnection and regulatory processes, battery safety standards and risk management, and local engagement strategies and approaches. The workshop concluded with a guided tour of the GSL for hands-on exposure to energy storage research and development. The workshop had 17 external participants. The attendees represented a range of backgrounds, including state and local governments, nonprofits or other local organizations, project developers, and utility stakeholders.

Battery Energy Storage↗

Development of an Unbiased Future Solar Dataset for Solar Resource Adequacy Research Over CONUS

A high-resolution, long-term solar dataset is essential for capturing the variability of solar energy resources and informing strategies to ensure grid reliability and resilience in systems with high levels of solar energy integration. This study focuses on generating unbiased, high-resolution projections of solar irradiance through a statistical downscaling framework, using Earth system model (ESM) simulations obtained from the North American Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (NA-CORDEX). The National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) is used to calibrate statistical downscaling models. The newly developed dataset provides solar irradiance, surface air temperature, and surface wind speed at 4-km and hourly resolutions across the contiguous United States (CONUS), based on two future scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). This study outlines key steps in developing the high-resolution future solar dataset, including (1) regridding ESM data to a common 20-km resolution grid, (2) correcting ESM biases using the NSRDB, and (3) applying temporal and spatial downscaling methods to generate high-resolution (4-km, hourly) solar projections. Preliminary results indicate that downscaled projections (4-km) captured reasonable spatial patterns when compared to observations across CONUS for four variables. On average across all pixels, 4-km daily-total GHI and DNI projections showed normalized bias (nBias) less than 1% and 6% for GHI and DNI against NSRDB, respectively (nBias less than 1% and 5% for daily-average surface air temperature and surface wind speed). In terms of long-term trend for GHI and DNI, there was no strong increasing or decreasing trend (when compared to surface air temperature), but it showed a very weak decreasing trend.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗