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At least 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Evaluating the Impact of Price-Responsive Load on Power Systems Using Integrated T&D Simulation

This paper explores the differences between simulating price-responsive load (PRL) interactions with power systems using integrated transmission and distribution (T&D) models and transmission-only (T-only) models. This analysis uses the Integrated Grid Modeling System (IGMS) software to capture 'ISO-to-appliance' simulations using a synthetic T&D model built on the PJM 5-Bus transmission network with multiple full-scale taxonomy feeders that include physics-based models of thousands of customers and PRLs. The results show important differences in the impacts of PRLs between integrated T&D and T-only models. Experiments with the synthetic integrated T&D dataset demonstrated that integrated T&D simulation revealed notably larger differences between the PRL and no-PRL cases for load, and prices compared to T-only simulation. Similarly, differences are observed between the price response of individual buildings and distribution feeders and the corresponding transmission bus in the integrated T&D simulations, which are difficult to capture in traditional T-only simulations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

What Role Do Aggregators Play in Power System Security and Resilience?

Barriers to the participation of distributed energy resources (DERs) in wholesale electricity markets have limited the use of DERs for power system security and resilience. In September 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved an order to reduce these barriers. FERC Order No. 2222 enables the participation of DER aggregators in wholesale electricity markets. DERs include renewable generation and technologies that support the integration of renewable generation by increasing grid flexibility and resilience. Requiring wholesale energy markets to allow DER aggregator participation provides a path for DERs to become competitive in these markets. As the contribution from aggregated DERs continues to increase, the aggregator's role in supporting grid security and resilience will become more critical. This paper reviews work that demonstrates how DER aggregators can provide resilience support through technical capabilities, operational strategies, and secure communication architectures. Socioeconomic influences and impacts of aggregators, including implications for social resilience, are presented. In surveying the current state-of-the-art across different but interconnected topics, we illustrate how aggregators can be power system participants that enhance grid security. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to enhancing resilience in a power grid that includes a growing cohort of DER aggregators, but there are many options for aggregators to contribute to a more resilient and secure power grid.

aggregator↗
DOE OSTI2026

Safe Deep Reinforcement Learning for Active Distribution System Model Predictive Control with EVs and DERs

The temporal and spatial mismatch between PV generation and electric vehicle (EV) charging and discharging may cause voltage violations in active distribution networks. Despite the widespread use of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) in power system optimization and control, it lacks guarantees on constraint satisfaction during both training and deployment. This paper proposes a Lagrangian-based safe DRL approach for model predictive control (MPC) of active distribution systems with large-scale integration of PVs, EVs, and energy storage systems (ESSs). A Transformer-LSTM time-series model is proposed to forecast EV charging demand, which is then formulated as a constraint to ensure charging requirements are met. Using this prediction, a Lagrangian-based safe soft actor-critic (SAC) framework is developed for real-time control in a three-phase unbalanced distribution system, enforcing voltage safety constraints while optimizing the cumulative net reward. By integrating the forecasting model with multi-period constraints, the proposed framework jointly coordinates PV systems, EV charging and discharging, and ESS scheduling within the MPC horizon. Numerical experiments on a modified IEEE 123-bus system with real-world data show that, under a high PV penetration scenario, the proposed method increases the net reward by 30.74% and reduces average voltage violations from 0.0011 p.u. to 0.0002 p.u. compared with standard SAC. Compared with the optimal power flow (OPF) approach, it achieves similar voltage security while yielding lower line losses. It also maintains real-time control capability, reducing operation latency to 53.21 ms per 15-minute control interval. The proposed method remains effective under varying PV/EV penetrations and load conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enumeration reduction algorithm for the characterization of multi-primary LED systems

Multi-primary tunable LED lighting systems can generate a vast number of spectral outputs, with the exact number depending on the resolution of the control signal and number of LED primaries. Computing all combinations to identify optimal spectral power distributions (SPDs) with a specified chromaticity would require a tremendous amount of time and computational power. Here, an enumeration reduction (ER) algorithm is described to reduce the computation time by defining a bounding pyramid in the three-dimensional tristimulus space that maps to the circumscribed square of the target region in the chromaticity diagram. This method enables computing only the necessary amount of tristimulus values (and resulting chromaticity coordinates) for SPDs that fall into a user-defined target chromaticity area, reducing computation time by avoiding the need to generate each combination and calculate its chromaticity coordinates. The results show that the proposed ER algorithm can greatly reduce the time – up to 922 times in a series of tests – to determine a set of metamers compared to a full enumeration computation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

ERAD: A Graph-Based Tool for Energy Resilience Analysis of Electric Distribution Systems

Understanding the impact of extreme events on people's ability to access energy is crucial for designing resilient energy systems. In the event of a disaster, damage to the electric system and related infrastructure (e.g., downed power lines, flooded equipment, hacked communication systems, damaged roads, etc.) can impact people's access to critical services, including not just electricity but also shelter, food, healthcare, and more. There is a key need to understand such impacts better and evaluate options to improve energy resilience. The Energy Resilience Analysis for Electric Distribution Systems (ERAD) tool is a free and open-source software package designed to help researchers and decision-makers analyze and improve energy system resilience.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework and Cyber Range Integration

Distributed energy resource (DER) systems feature complex, data-driven communications networks that require careful system coordination and constant vigilance to ensure that grid assets are secure. Because DERs are an important component of the decarbonization strategy, agencies need to secure energy data that could implicate issues of national security if compromised. To help federal energy managers assess, monitor, and manage cybersecurity while achieving decarbonization, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF) offers a comprehensive, web-based assessment tool focusing on cyber governance or policies, technical management, and physical security. The DER-CF currently presents users with a series of pertinent cybersecurity questions that are used to generate a site-specific report and recommendations. This paper outlines a plan to integrate the DER-CF with another key asset-NREL's cyber range-to visualize cybersecurity resilience and compliance and to enhance the usability and accessibility of the DER-CF for federal facility energy managers and planners. This integration will result in a visualization environment to interpret and interact with compliance data. Its development will include regular conversations with stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of these efforts, refine the visualization capability, and ensure its value to our partners.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cybersecurity Risk Profiles for Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems

Managing the digitalization of increasingly diversity energy resources is a complex challenge for energy systems planners and managers. As the penetration of solar photovoltaics (PV) and other distributed renewable energy resources (DERs) expands, distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) will play an increasingly important role in managing, monitoring, and controlling DERs as electric systems before more distributed, interconnected, and networked. However, the cybersecurity implications of DERMS deployments are not well understood today. A lack of understanding around the cybersecurity implications of DERMS deployments and variability in the security posture of DERMS vendors, owners, and operators could introduce new security risks to evolving electric power systems. This paper describes cybersecurity attack scenarios on DERMS, identifies related cybersecurity standards and guidelines, reviews the security features of state-of-the-art DERMS solutions, and offers cybersecurity guidance for DERMS vendors, owners, and operators to protect DERMS' unique capabilities. Standardizing cybersecurity requirements for DERMS could help improve the security of DERMS integrations and improve innovations that are more secure by design. The cybersecurity guidance found in this paper is intended to offer a unified approach and lay the foundation for future standardization of DERMS cybersecurity to reduce risk to the solar industry and other renewable energy stakeholders when integrating these technologies with electric power systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Evaluating the Impact of Price-Responsive Load on Power Systems Using Integrated T&D Simulation: Preprint

This paper explores the advantages and challenges of simulating price-responsive load (PRL) interactions with large-scale power systems using integrated transmission and distribution (T&D) models. This analysis uses the Integrated Grid Modeling System (IGMS) software to capture 'ISO-to-appliance' simulations using a synthetic T&D model built on the PJM 5 Bus transmission network with multiple full-scale taxonomy feeders that include physics-based models of thousands of PRLs. The results show substantial differences in the impacts of PRLs between integrated T&D and transmission-only (T-only) models. Similarly differences are observed between the price response of individual distribution feeders and the corresponding transmission bus in the integrated T&D simulations, which cannot be captured in T-only simulations. Experiments include both traditional price responsive load reductions and price-driven load increases during low net demand periods driven by high daytime generation from distributed generation-based photovoltaics (DGPV).

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Distributed Energy Resources Cybersecurity Framework & Risk Manager

Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF) provides a holistic assessment for evaluating the cybersecurity posture of DER systems - filling an important gap that expands upon existing cybersecurity frameworks for more modern energy systems. The DER-CF is available as a written framework and an interactive Web tool. Distributed Energy Resource Risk Manager (DER-RM) process adheres closely to NIST's seven risk management steps: prepare, categorize, select, implement, assess, monitor, and authorize. This added feature is independent of the DER-CF's existing self-assessment and allows managers to focus on the RMF process.

cybersecurity↗
DOE OSTI2019

Recommendations for Trust and Encryption in DER Interoperability Standards

Recently developed Distributed Energy Resource (DER) interoperability standards include communication and cyber security requirements. In 2018, the US national interconnection standard, IEEE 1547, was revised to require DER to include a Sun Spec Modbus, IEEE 2030.5 (Smart Energy Profile, SEP 2.0), or IEEE 1815 (DNP3) communication interface but does not include any normative overarching cybersecurity requirements. IEEE 2030.5 and associated implementation requirements for California, known as the California Smart Inverter Profile (CSIP), prescribe the greatest security features - including encryption, authentication, and key management requirements. Sun Spec Modbus and IEEE 1815 security requirements are not as comprehensive, leading to implementation questions throughout the industry. Further, while the security features in IEEE 2030.5 are commonly used in computing platforms, there are still questions of how well the technologies will scale in highly-distributed, computationally-limited inverter environments. In this paper, (a) the elements of IEEE 2030.5 encryption, authentication, and key management guidelines are analyzed, (b) potential scalability gaps are identified, and (c) alternative technologies are explored for possible inclusion in DER interoperability or cyber security standards.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2012

On the breaking of a plasma wave in a thermal plasma. I. The structure of the density singularity

The structure of the singularity that is formed in a relativistically large amplitude plasma wave close to the wave breaking limit is found by using a simple waterbag electron distribution function. The electron density distribution in the breaking wave has a typical 'peakon' form. The maximum value of the electric field in a thermal breaking plasma is obtained and compared to the cold plasma limit. The results of computer simulations for different initial electron distribution functions are in agreement with the theoretical conclusions. The after-wavebreak regime is then examined, and a semi-analytical model of the density evolution is constructed. Finally the results of two dimensional particle in cell simulations for different initial electron distribution functions are compared, and the role of thermal effects in enhancing particle injection is noted.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Modelling the flux distribution function of the extragalactic gamma-ray background from dark matter annihilation

The one-point function (i.e., the isotropic flux distribution) is a complementary method to (anisotropic) two-point correlations in searches for a gamma-ray dark matter annihilation signature. Using analytical models of structure formation and dark matter halo properties, we compute the gamma-ray flux distribution due to annihilations in extragalactic dark matter halos, as it would be observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Combining the central limit theorem and Monte Carlo sampling, we show that the flux distribution takes the form of a narrow Gaussian of 'diffuse' light, with an 'unresolved point source' power-law tail as a result of bright halos. We argue that this background due to dark matter constitutes an irreducible and significant background component for point-source annihilation searches with galaxy clusters and dwarf spheroidal galaxies, modifying the predicted signal-to-noise ratio. A study of astrophysical backgrounds to this signal reveals that the shape of the total gamma-ray flux distribution is very sensitive to the contribution of a dark matter component, allowing us to forecast promising one-point upper limits on the annihilation cross-section. We show that by using the flux distribution at only one energy bin, one can probe the canonical cross-section required for explaining the relic density, for dark matter of masses around tens of GeV.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Constraints on sub-terrestrial free-floating planets from Subaru microlensing observations

ABSTRACT The abundance of protoplanetary bodies ejected from their parent star system is presently poorly constrained. With only two existing optical observations of interstellar objects in the 108–1010 kg mass range and a small number of robust microlensing observations of free-floating planets (FFPs) in the 1024–1025 kg mass range, there is a large range of masses for which there are no existing measurements of the unbound population. The three primary microlensing surveys currently searching for FFPs operate at a cadence greater than 15 min, which limits their ability to observe events associated with bodies with a mass much below an Earth mass. We demonstrate that existing high-cadence observations of M31 with the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam place constraints on the abundance of unbound objects at sub-terrestrial masses, with peak sensitivity at 10−4 M⊕ for Milky Way lenses and 10−1 M⊕ for lenses in M31. For a fiducial $\frac{dn}{dM}\propto M^{-2}$ mass distribution, we find that the abundance of unbound objects is constrained to $n_\text{unbound} \lt 1.4 \times 10^{7} ~\rm {pc}^{-3}$ for masses within 1 dex of 10−4 M⊕. Additionally, we compute limits on an artificial ‘monochromatic’ distribution of unbound objects and compare to existing literature, demonstrating that the assumed spatial distribution of lenses has very significant consequences for the sensitivity of microlensing surveys. While the observations ultimately do not probe abundances suggested by current models of planetary formation, our limits place direct observational constraints on the unbound population in the sub-terrestrial mass range and motivate new observational strategies for microlensing surveys.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2014

Parallel Optical Flow Processing of 4D Cardiac CT Data on Multicore Clusters, In: 2014 IEEE 17th International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering

Optical flow is the distribution of apparent velocities of movement of brightness patterns in a sequence of images. For large 3D image sequences, optical flow applications are time consuming and memory-bound. To cope with these problems, in this paper, we present parallel optical flow processing of 4D cardiac CT data on multicore cluster systems to significantly shorten the time for computing velocity fields of the heart in order to aid cardiologists in diagnosing heart disease such as myocardial infarction and cardiac dysrhythmia in time. First, we modify and extend two traditional 2D optical flow methods Horn-Schunck and Lucas-Kanade to three-dimensional cases to process the 4D cardiac CT data. Second, we extend Mat lab MPI to support parallel computing with Mat lab and Octave on these cluster systems. Then we develop the parallel Mat lab/Octave optical flow applications for the 4D cardiac CT data in detail. Our experimental results show that these parallel optical flow applications have good scalability with close to linear speedup, and are able to shorten the image processing time significantly from more than 5 hours on 4 cores to 1.5 minutes on 1024 cores.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2015

Decentralized Optimal Dispatch of Photovoltaic Inverters in Residential Distribution Systems

Summary form only given. Decentralized methods for computing optimal real and reactive power setpoints for residential photovoltaic (PV) inverters are developed in this paper. It is known that conventional PV inverter controllers, which are designed to extract maximum power at unity power factor, cannot address secondary performance objectives such as voltage regulation and network loss minimization. Optimal power flow techniques can be utilized to select which inverters will provide ancillary services, and to compute their optimal real and reactive power setpoints according to well-defined performance criteria and economic objectives. Leveraging advances in sparsity-promoting regularization techniques and semidefinite relaxation, this paper shows how such problems can be solved with reduced computational burden and optimality guarantees. To enable large-scale implementation, a novel algorithmic framework is introduced - based on the so-called alternating direction method of multipliers - by which optimal power flow-type problems in this setting can be systematically decomposed into sub-problems that can be solved in a decentralized fashion by the utility and customer-owned PV systems with limited exchanges of information. Since the computational burden is shared among multiple devices and the requirement of all-to-all communication can be circumvented, the proposed optimization approach scales favorably to large distribution networks.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Monte-Carlo Method of Calculating Weakly Coupled Systems Using the PRIZMA-DSP Code

A Monte Carlo method implemented in the PRIZMA-DSP code to calculate multiplying systems, including weakly coupled systems, is described. In the code, the basis of the method is a sequential calculation of a prescribed chain of active generations, which is described by, first and foremost, the dominant ratio of the system. The fission points of the running generation serve as a source for constructing neutron trajectories, new fission points arising on a trajectory are transmitted unchanged to calculate the next generation, and so on. In the calculation of the active generation, K{sub eff} and made-to-order linear-fractional functions are evaluated. In order for the distribution to become established, a passive calculation with prescribed chain length is made before the active calculation. In addition, after the calculation of each generation the operation of random mixing of the entire set of fission points and their distribution over the nuclei is performed in order to obtain a uniform distribution. At the start of the calculation, a special rejection procedure performs a pre-set number of preliminary computational iterations so that an arbitrary zeroth distribution over all nuclei goes to a distribution obtained via a characteristic function.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating high-order continuum kinetic plasma simulations using multiple GPUs

Kinetic plasma simulations solve the Vlasov-Poisson or Vlasov-Maxwell equations to evolve scalar-variable distribution functions in position-velocity phase space and vector-variable electromagnetic fields in configuration space. The immense computational cost of evolving high-dimensional variables, and their large number of degrees of freedom, often limits the utility of continuum kinetic simulations and presents a challenge when it comes to accurately simulating real-world physical phenomena. To address this challenge, we present techniques that accelerate and minimize the computational work required for a scalable Vlasov-Poisson solver. We show theoretical hardware compute and communication bounds for solving a fourth-order finite-volume Vlasov-Poisson system. These bounds are then used to inform and evaluate the design of performance portable algorithms for a multiple graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated version of the Vlasov-Poisson solver VCK-CPU [1]. We demonstrate that the multi-GPU Vlasov solver implementation, VCK-GPU, simultaneously minimizes required inter-process data transfer while also being bounded by the machine network performance limits. This results in an overall strong scaling speedup per timestep of up to 40x in three-dimensional phase space (one position, two velocity coordinates) and 54x in four dimensional phase space (two position, two velocity coordinates) and a 341x increase in simulation throughput of the GPU accelerated code over the existing CPU code. The GPU code is also able to weak scale up to 256 compute nodes and 1024 GPUs. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the improved compute performance enables exploring configurations which were previously computationally infeasible, including resolving fine-scale distribution function filamentation and multi-species dynamics with realistic electron-proton mass ratios.

Continuum kinetics↗