Track 1 – Customer Analytics and Behind the Meter Technologies

Organizer
Panelists
Building Modeling Techniques in a Smart Grid Environment
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Session Chair: Qun Zhou, University of Central Florida		Smart buildings are a critical element in a smart grid. The modeling of smart buildings and building equipment are highly important for optimization and control. Given different control objectives, the modeling requirement may be different and a trade-off between modeling effort and accuracy needs to be carefully considered. The panelists, from industry, university, and government research institutes, will provide experiences and lessons learned from adopting different methods of modeling, including data-driven, physics-based and hybrid models


  • Y. LIN, UCF, NREL

  • J. O'DONNELL, University College Dublin, Multi-Scale Building Modelling to Support Smart Grid Scenarios

  • F. OMAR, NIST, A Residential Energy Control Algorithm Assessment Tool for Smart Grid: Multi-Criteria Decision Making Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process

  • S. RAHMAN, Virginia Tech, An Open Architecture Software Platform for Building Automation

  • Q. ZHOU, UCF, Probabilistic Building Power Consumption Modeling
Researching Solutions to Valuation, Control, and Cyber Security Barriers to Distributed Wind Integration
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
1:00 PM-2:30 PM

Session Chair: Andrew Reiman, PNNL		This panel will discuss technologies and methodologies addressing grid integration of distributed wind generation. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Technologies Office (WETO) is funding a project titled Microgrids, Infrastructure Resilience, and Advanced Controls Launchpad (MIRACL), to accelerate distributed wind technology development into the expanded distributed energy future. The goal of this effort is to improve and validate capabilities to valuate, integrate, and operate distributed wind in distribution systems, microgrids, and transactive environments in a seamless “plug-and-play” manner.

  • J. REILLY,,Control for Distributed Wind Technologies

  • B. BARKER, U.S. DOE, Distributed Wind Program and/or MIRACL Project Overview

  • P. CICILIO, Cyber Secuirty and Resilience for Distributed Wind

  • A. REIMAN, PNNL, Improving Distributed Wind Valuation and Representation in Tools
Transactive Energy Market Design and Platform Requirements
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
3:00 PM-5:00 PM

Session Chair: Farrokh Rahimi, OATI		This panel session will explore the challenges and need for new utility operational practices and business models in the face of proliferation of DERs and increasingly savvy prosumers. The panelist will discuss transactive market design and operational solutions with a view to win-win opportunities for prosumers and grid operators. Incentive-compatibility issues will be addressed including pros and cons of different flavors of incentive compatible transactive market design. The panel will also include discussion of Transactive Distributed Energy Resources Management platforms, including efficient data communication, information security, and big data analytics. Illustrative examples and use cases will be presented based on actual or pilot field experiments.

  • K. AIKAN, Introspective Systems; Buildings and Edge Devices in a Transactive System

  • F. ALBUYEH, Transactive System Architecture in Support of the Emerging Industry Landscape

  • M. KNIGHT, Burns & McDonnell (1898 & Co), Using transactive energy markets to integrate DER

  • R. MELTON, PNNL, Transactive Energy Framework and Functions

  • M. PARVANIA, Transactive Energy in Networked Microgrids
Technical Aspects of Energy DLT/Blockchain: Standardization and Considerations for Transactive Energy Applications
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Session Chair: Umit Cali, UNCC		Transactive Energy Systems leverage distributed control and economic operational principles to dynamically balance the electrical demand and supply within the electrical grid using advanced information and communication technologies. Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT, in particular Blockchain), is considered as a promising emerging solution that may transform future business and social consumer behavior in several industrial segments. DLT and decentralization of the energy sector are two disruptive components of the future of the transactive power markets. Next generation transactive power systems will be more autonomous and democratic to a greater extent with the help of new derivative technologies at a high degree of complexity and flexibility.

Similar to other emerging technology fields, there is also a strong need to create standards in the Energy Blockchain domain. With this proposition, the IEEE Standards Association (SA) created, in September 2018, the IEEE P2418.5 Blockchain/DLT in Energy Standards Working Group, to address related reference architecture, taxonomy, scalability, cyber-security, interoperability aspects and use cases. Technology mapping use case segmentation and system level modelling of the entire energy blockchain landscape are the critical missions to accomplish a successful standardization framework.

The typical segmentation of blockchain application in the energy sector focuses primarily on two axes, namely, (a) physical area of use case and applications such as “grid transactions”, “peer-to-peer energy trading” and “electric vehicles”, among others, and (b) key functionalities of blockchain technology, such as decentralized transactions that guarantee validity and provide auditability and data recoding with proof of existence and immutability.

This panel session will present the key activities of the IEEE P2418.5 Blockchain/DLT in Energy Standards Working Group and recent advances in the field of energy blockchain / DLT landscape.

Possible presenters and presentation:

  • M. KUZLU, Old Dominion University, 2020ISGT0561, Educational and Research Aspects of Blockchain in Power Systems

  • C. LIMA, IEEE Blockchain WG 2020ISGT0557, Smart Contracts

  • F. RAHIMI, OATI, 2020ISGT0558, Blockchain in Transactive Energy Systems
Blockchain in Energy Technology Industry Adoption: Regulation and Policies Measurements
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
1:00 PM-2:30 PM

Session Chair: Claudio Lima, Blockchain Engineering Council (BEC)

Session Co-Chair: Farrokh Rahimi, OATI		Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technologies (BDLT) is an emerging field that cuts across several industry disciplines and has been recently proposed as an important data validation, authentication and registration layer for utility and energy applications. However, there are some misconceptions and challenges regarding use of blockchain in a utility environment, particularly related to processing energy, transaction throughput, consensus algorithms, scalability and security among others.

This panel session will discuss current misconceptions of this technology and identify important use cases that utilities are considering to create new decentralized energy applications and business models, using cryptographic distributed ledgers. The panel will also address some concerns by policymakers, and will explore some regulatory challenges needed to implement some of these applications in a regulated environment, including the importance of developing new standards, such as the new IEEE Blockchain in Energy P2418.5.

  • C. CLARK, Congressional Research Service, Topic: Overview of U.S. Blockchain In Energy Policy And Regulations

  • C. BURKS, NAESB, Topic: Digitization Initiatives using Distributed Ledger Technology

  • C. LIMA, Chair of IEEEra P2418.5 Blockchain in Energy Standards and IEEE Blockchain Initiative Energy Lead, Topic: The IEEE Blockchain in Energy Standard P2418.5.

  • G. PULLEN, Adjunct Professor for Blockchain Cryptocurrency and Law Program, Topic: Blockchain In Energy Industry Use Cases, Economics, and Implementation

  • B. ROCKWOOD, Jr., a Deputy Legislative Director for the Office of Congressman Darren Soto (D-FL). Topic: Thoughts on blockchain policy as it is developing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as a project Congressman Soto is currently involved in his district in Florida.


Smart Cities/Smart Communities – The Bridge to Build "The Grid of the Future"
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
3:00 PM-5:00 PM

Session Chair: Ahad Esmaeilian, Avangrid		The need to address climate change has led national, state, and local agencies to work with utilities to come up with innovative solutions to reduce our fossil fuel consumption, increase our energy efficiency, and connect more renewables and other alternative energy projects to the grid. Bridging the gap between current state of the grid and the Grid of the Future requires effective changes to systems, infrastructure and attitude at communities, municipalities and cities. The rise of smart cities provides the private sector with an opportunity to engage with governments, in what will need to be mutually beneficial partnerships. Smart cities and communities can enable:

  • More effective, data-driven decision-making

  • Enhanced citizen and government engagement

  • Safer communities

  • Reduced environmental footprint

  • Improved transportation & Infrastructure

  • Increased digital equity

  • New economic development opportunities

  • Efficient public utilities

  • Increased workforce engagement



  • V. CUSHING, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder at QCoefficient - Building-Grid Integration: Pilot Results from Mid-Manhattan

  • K. MORUA, CEO at Morua Power - Smart Communities and Villages: Building Equitable, Resilient and Sustainable Hubs

  • D. SMALL, Director of Smart Grid and Technology at Pepco Holdings - Connected Communities “vision to reality”, City of Wilmington, DE

  • M. WAKEFIELD, Director of Information, Communication and Cyber Security at EPRI - Enabling technologies – telecommunications, data standards and cyber security – the strategic infrastructure to enable digital transformation of smart cities and communities

  • B. WILLIAMS, VP, Industry Strategy and Innovation Engineering at Oracle Utilities - The Customer and Community Centric Grid - Enabling customer and community owned DER, optimized as grid-side resources supporting a more sustainable energy future
Economic, Reliability and Resilience Considerations for Transactive Energy System
Thursday, 20 February 2020
10:30AM – 12:00PM

Session Chair: Rahul Bahadur, Vmware, Inc.
Transactive energy involves use of a combination of economic and control techniques to improve grid reliability and efficiency. As such, it includes not only economic considerations, but also the operational reliability and related control objectives and technology within the electric power infrastructure.

Stated differently, transactive energy systems can provide flexibility to power system planners, operators, and participants and this flexibility can be leveraged to aid in improving power system “value”, resilience, and reliability.

This panel session addresses economic, reliability, and resilience factors to consider when deploying Transactive Energy Systems (TES) and the value TES deployment can create while responding to varying grid conditions. The grid conditions of interest include normal, at-risk / stressed, and emergency conditions as explained later. The criteria of primary interest are the capability and methods of exchanging required data efficiently and securely, the ability of the system to respond to varying inputs, and the reliability of the infrastructure supporting the system.


  • R. BAHADUR, VMware, Inc., Topic: Analysis of Sample Use Cases

  • S. KNAPP, Power Analytics, Topic: TBD

  • M. KNIGHT, Burns& McDonnell, Topic: TE Use Cases and their Classification within the matrix of Influencing Factors and Grid Conditions

  • F. RAHIMI, OATI, Topic: TES Valuation framework based on Influencing Factors and Grid Conditions
Use of AI to Optimize Behind-the Meter Resources
Thursday, 20 February 2020
1:00PM-2:15PM

Session Chair: Ahad Esmaeilian, Avangrid

The vision of “the Gird of the Future” is an interactive reliable environment where there are consumer benefits and motivations to leverage customer owned behind-the-meter (BTM) assets to provide services to the grid, energy markets and other entities within the distribution feeder. However, the growth of DER and BTM resources may introduce fluctuations and uncertainty in operation that was not previously seen on the distribution grid. Incorporation of machine learning in grid monitoring and analysis tools may have the potential to solve these operational challenges.
Application of machine learning could increase the potential revenue streams and energy savings as well as enabling utility interaction with participating customers and an expansion of localized services to include ancillary services, distribution voltage regulation, and distribution balancing. Improving the economics of BTM resources increases possible markets for its use, broadening adoption and market penetration for both renewable and energy storage technologies.

  • B. ENAYATI, National Grid - The role of communications on properly managing the impacts of DER on system operations, protection, and planning

  • A. KHURRAM, University of Vermont - Innovative methods in coordinating demand-side resources: from papers to practice

  • D. VRABIE, PNNL - Leveraging Differentiable Programming for Adaptive Resilient Systems

  • R. YANG, NREL - Predictive Analytics for Behind-the-Meter Resources
Machine Learning-Based Decision Making for Power System Operation
Thursday, 20 February 2020
2:15PM – 3:30PM

Session Chair: Zhaoyu Wang, Iowa State University
Session Co-Chair: Dr. Feng Qiu, Argonne National Lab
Machine learning (ML) has significant development in the past decade, especially in data analytics and decision making, and has been applied to many industries, including energy sector. ML applications in power systems is not a new topic, dating back in early 1950s. However, this new wave of ML applications in power systems is making much more significant impacts, thanks to the recent advancement of computing capabilities that make it possible to do real-time decision making. This panel will discuss how the recent advancement in ML, can help the operations of power distribution and transmission systems. Specifically, the panel will discuss leveraging ML to help a number of fundamental optimization and decision making problems in power system operations. For example, the panel will cover topics on applying ML to solve operational problems (e.g., unit commitments, networked microgrid coordination, DER management, and voltage/var management) faster; how ML can be used to solve optimal power flows better; utilitizing ML in real-time power system control; and how ML can help state estimation and other parameter estimation.

The time of this panel will be distributed between presentations and discussions with a 8/2 ratio. The panel will first review recent progress on ML and its applications in decision making. Then the panel will deliver a number of presentations with focus on ML on power system operations and planning. The panel will host open discussions to allow audience to interact with the panelists.

Proposed panelists:
  • M. BAGGU, National Renewable Energy Lab, “Data Analytics for Utility Planning and Operational Support”

  • A. PAHWA, National Science Foundation, “National Sciecen Foundation Efforts in Machine Learning”

  • F. QIU, Argonne National Lab, “Approximating trajectory constraints with machine leaning”

  • Z. WANG, Iowa State University, “Learning Smart Meter Data for Enhancing Distribution Grid Observability”

  • R. YAO, Argonne National Lab, ” Modeling and prediction of weather-induced outages using neural networks”

  • Y. ZHANG, National Renewable Energy Lab, “Predictive analytics of behind the meter resources”

Track 2 – Distribution and Transmission Operation for the Grid of the Future

Organizer
Panelists
Cost-Effective Provision Grid Services from Demand-side Assets
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Session Chair: Farrokh Rahimi, OATI		With proliferation of renewable generation, the fundamental operating principle of power systems is changing from “load following” (generation dispatch to follow load variations) to “generation following” (generation and load dispatch to follow distributed generation and load variations). Increased variability of renewable generation resources results in the need for higher levels of ancillary services, balancing requirements, and situational awareness. Demand-side assets can participate in the provision of balancing energy and other grid services. This panel session will address the changing utility operational and business models, emerging new grid services at bulk power and distribution levels, and the win-win opportunities cost-effective provision of these services from demand-side resources. The panel will also address the Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERMS) platform services and functions needed to facilitate participation of demand-side assets in provision of distribution and bulk power grid services.

  • F. ALBUYEH, OATI, Supply of Grid Services and Grid Flexibility from Distributed Energy Resources

  • J. LIAN, PNNL, Enabling technology for practical deployment of demand response for provision of grid services

  • N. LU, NCSU, Use of Digital Twins in Utility of the Future Operations for Provision of Grid Services

  • G. RENDELL, Duke Energy, The Changing Utility Landscape and Emerging Utility Business Models
Multi-Timescale Operation and Optimization of Power Grid with High Renewable Penetrations
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
1:00 PM-2:30 PM

Session Chair: Jin Tan, NREL

Session Co-Chair: Feng Qiu, ANL 		The variability and uncertainty associated with high levels of renewable penetrations bring challenges to power system operation at all timescales. The conventional sectionalized power analysis is not enough to address the interactions among longer-term system economies and shorter-term system dynamics that will be highly coupled when penetrations of renewables are extremely high. This panel session will discuss the real challenge of operating power grid with high renewable penetration from different time-scales(from market, reliability regulation to transient stability) and their interactions; First, ISO will share the current challenges; furthermore, model adequacy, new tool, and new solutions will be thoroughly discussed to pave a way to an extremely high renewable penetrated future grid. In this panel, creative collisions of thoughts are expected to spark new ideas and inspiration.


  • M. ORTEGA-VAZQUEZ, EPRI, Representing Operating Flexibility Needs in Mid- and Long-Term Planning Models

  • Z. WANG, Iowa State University, Learning based optimal operation of networked microgrids

  • A. XAVIER, ANL, Decomposable Formulation of Transmission Constraints for Decentralized Power Systems Optimization

  • H. YUAN, NREL, Multi-timescale integrated dynamic and scheduling model for solar
Disaster Awareness, Restoration and Stability Enhancement of Resilient Distribution Grids with Increasing Penetration of Inverter-based Resources
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
3:00 PM-5:00 PM

Session Chair: Zhaoyu Wang, Iowa State University

Session Co-Chair: Xiaonan Lu, Temple University 		This panel explores the potential benefits of distributed solar energy in resilience improvement of distribution grid, such as pre-event preparation optimization with flexible resources and distributed solar energy prepared strategically for the upcoming extreme events; and post-event operation and restoration to coordinate energy management and restoration with switching and repair process.

Enhancing grid resilience to protect against disastrous events is a key task of grid modernization efforts. The extreme weather-caused outages have resulted in substantial economic losses in recent years in the United States. Utilities have recognized the potential benefits from distributed solar energy for resilience improvement under extreme weather events. However, their plans for implementation of this type of solution with IEEE 1547-2018 compliance varies subject to diverse cost situations and different customers’ expectations. Vendors are interested in this type of solution and in the process of adopting this methodology in product design.

This panel features experts from utility, DER controller manufacturer, national laboratory, and universities. This panel will explore the lessons learnt from the operation practices and field deployment experience, as well as the state-of-art control and operation methodologies for pre-event awareness and post-event restoration for solar energy integrated resilient distribution grid.


  • H-M. CHOU, Dominion Energy, Dominion practice of resiliency with focus on blackstart with high penetration of PV

  • J. WANG, Southern Methodist University, Machine Learning for Solar Irradiance Forecasting

  • X. WU, Siemens, Distributed Control for Resilient Distribution Systems Lab

  • S. ZHAO, ANL, Multi-timescale Predictive, Proactive and Recovery Optimization Framework for Solar Energy Integrated Resilient Distribution Grid
EV Fleet Charging: Managing Power Flows Today and Tomorrow
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Session Co-Chair: S. Ghosh, NREL

Session Co-Chair: D. Holmberg, NIST		Adoption of EVs has been expanding recently at a global scale. Substantial adoption of light/heavy-duty vehicles will require additional electric grid capacity and management approaches to ensure reliable operation. This panel will cover how vehicle electrification can support grid resilience and reliability, providing value to vehicle owners, utilities, and aggregators under a variety of future scenarios. Multiple DER technologies, in concert with EV fleets, can provide techno-economic benefits to all the stakeholders when their operations are co-optimized. Since EV fleets require new charging infrastructures, including extreme fast chargers, a detailed distribution grid planning process needs to be conducted by utilities. Better approaches to pricing electricity can enable optimized coordination to incentivize customers to manage power for the benefit of the grid while avoiding infrastructure congestion. An Energy Services Interface (ESI) can coordinate power flows in a distributed manner for effective integration of EV fleets into the distribution grid.


  • S. GHOSH, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Distribution system planning to serve growing number of EVs on the road

  • D. HOLMBERG, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Session overview and the challenges of customer DER integration & Overcoming challenges of demand charge management: How utilities can help accelerate EV fleet deployment

  • R. KAISER, Amzur, An Energy Services Interface for EV fleet charging management

  • S. VEDA, Xcel Energy, Cooptimization framework for integrating Electric Vehicle fleets
Lessons Learned, Practice, and Methodologies for Renewables Integration and Grid Resilience using DERs and Networked Microgrids
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
1:00 PM-2:30 PM

Session Chair: Xiaonan Lu & Shijia Zhao, ANL		This panel explores the potential utilization of networked microgrids (NMGs) as a conceptual operation paradigm for future transmission and distribution grids, such as providing promising solutions for enhancing system resilience, reliability and stability by enabling flexible DER management and T&D system operation.

As the penetration level of distributed energy resources (DERs) increases rapidly, a resilient, reliable and stable operation on transmission-distribution system is urgently needed to modernize electric grids and ensure operation continuity. As an effective entity of integrating DERs and local loads, microgrids have been widely deployed. The concept of networked microgrids is an emerging operation paradigm, in which multiple microgrids are coordinated through intelligent control and flexible operation methodologies to further improve grid resilience and renewable integration. In addition to single and individual microgrids, networked and dynamic microgrids with controllable and effective interconnections have been deployed and studied to advance resiliency enhancement, especially for critical infrastructures.

This panel features experts from utility company, microgrid controller manufacturer, U.S. Department of Energy, national laboratory, and universities. This panel will explore the lessons learnt from the operation practices and field deployment experience, as well as the state-of-art control and operation methodologies for networked microgrids.

  • X. LU, Temple University, Reconfigurable Distribution Systems with Networked and Dynamic Microgrids

  • Y. SHARON, S&C Electric Company, Incorporating DERs Within Restoration Schemes for Distribution Systems

  • V. MEHR, Southern California Edison, Distribution Grid Operation – Utility Practice and Field Applications

  • G. YUAN, DOE-Solar Energy Technology Office, DOE Supported Research Activities


Advanced Technologies for Reliable and Resilient Distribution and Transmission Grid Operation
Wednesday, 19 February 2020
3:00 PM-5:00 PM

Session Chair: Marianna Vaiman, V&R Energy		As the electric grid is undergoing major changes, the challenges of maintaining secure, reliable and resilient operation of transmission and distribution systems are growing. To address them, innovative technologies, advanced approaches and automated processes are being adopted by electric utilities world-wide.

The goal of the session is to share industry best practices related to real-time operation of transmission and distribution systems. It will discuss the impact of the recent changes (such as renewable energy sources, microgrids, and PMUs) on maintaining grid reliability and resilience.

The session includes presentations from five utilities (ComEd, ISONE, SDGE&E, SPP, and TNB Malaysia) describing their experience, lessons learned and vision for the future on enhancing grid reliability and resilience in real-time and operations environments. The panel also features a presentation from PNNL, describing advanced technologies for big data analytics that facilitate reliable and resilient operation of the grid of the future.

Presenters:

  • H. CHEN, ComEd, Distribution Linear State Estimator for increased Situational Awareness and Resiliency

  • P. ETINGOV, PNNL, Synchrophasor-based Open Source Tools to Strengthen Grid Resilience and Reliability

  • M. HONG, ISO New England,Situational Awareness of the Weather Impact on Power System Operation

  • M. KHAIRUN NIZAM BIN MOHD SARMIN, TNB Malaysia, Reimagining TNB’s Grid of the Future

  • R. MANUGUID, San Diego Gas & Electric, Implementation of Real-Time Voltage Stability Analysis at SDG&E Using RC West Network Model

  • Z. SHARP, Southwest Power Pool, SPP’s Use of Topology Optimization in Real-Time Operations

  • M. VAIMAN, V&R Energy, Opening comments and introductions
Robust Distribution Grid Operation in the Presence of Fast Charging Electric Vehicles
Thursday, 20 February 2020
10:30 AM-12:00 PM

Session Chair: Tobias Massier, Tumcreate, Ltd.		With the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs), transport and electricity can no longer be considered separately. Private owners of EVs are not necessarily willing to adjust their driving
behavior or recharging times of their cars. Public transport vehicles run on fixed schedules
with limited charging flexibility, which requires fast charging. These factors pose a new challenge to the electrical distribution grid. On the other hand, transport electrification also offers the chance to reduce emissions due to higher drive train efficiency and the opportunity to
supply vehicle batteries at charging stations directly with renewable energies such as solar
photovoltaics. The panel will address challenges and opportunities of transport electrification.
In summary, the panel covers different aspects of robust distribution grid operation with fast charging EVs, discussing challenges and opportunities of transport electrification.

  • T. MESSIER, TUMCREATE, LTD, New tools to address the challenges of public transport electrification – Example of Singapore

  • S. HANIF, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Transactive energy systems and their role in the future distribution grid in the presence of fast charging EVs.

  • R. RAYUDU, Victoria University of Wellington, The impact of solar power and fast electric vehicle charging on the distribution grid based on short circuit ratios.


Building Next Generation Synchrophasor Systems for Future Grid Operations
Thursday, 20 February 2020
1:00 PM-2:15 PM

Session Chair: Yi Hu, Quanta Technology

This panel focuses on various aspects related to building the next generation synchrophasor systems for operating the future power grid. Aggressive targets to reach a low-carbon or carbon-neutral electric energy supply set by states in the U.S. and countries around the world will greatly change the operating conditions of future grids. Deployment of advanced technologies, tools, and systems such as synchrophasor-based systems are urgently needed to ensure the reliability and resiliency of the future grids. Stepped-up efforts with accelerated deployment schedule to build the next generation of synchrophasor systems will be a critical step in preparing the industry for operating the future grids reliably. This panel will review successes and lessons learned in deploying the current synchrophasor systems for operational use, key requirements of the next generation synchrophasor systems, and the progress being made by leading utilities in building their next generation synchrophasor systems.

  • D. BRANCACCIO, Quanta Technology

  • Y. HU, Quanta Technology, Key Requirements of Next Generation Synchrophasor Systems

  • S. SANAKARAN, SDG&E, WASA and Roadmap to WAMPAC at SDG&E

  • D. SCHOOLEY, ComEd, Rapid PMU Deployment – Recipes for Success
Planning and Investing for a Resilient Grid
Thursday, 20 February 2020
2:15 PM-3:30 PM

Session Chair: Brian Pierre, Sandia National Laboratories		The aim of this panel session is to stimulate discussion and present recent projects which aim to improve power system resilience to high consequence low probability events. The four presentations look at different strategies to help utilities plan and justify financing large scale investments to improve resilience. Presentations range from the distribution system to the transmission system including: stochastic expansion planning considering resilience, designing resilient communities, applying stress testing to electric utilities to help guide resilience planning, and a co-optimization of investments to improve both reliability and resilience.


  • M. DeMENNO, Bosque Advisors, From Financial Systemic Risk to Grid Resilience: Applying Stress Testing to Electric Utilities

  • M. ROPP, Designing Resilient Communities: A Consequence-Based Approach for Grid Investment

  • B. PIERRE, Sandia National Laboratories, Co-optimization to Integrate Power System Reliability Decisions with Resiliency Decisions

  • J-P. WATSON, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, Toward Resilience-Focused Capacity Expansion



    		•

    Track 3 – Distribution and Transmission Planning for the Grid of the Future

    Organizer
    		Panelists
    Physical and Cyber Security of Power Electronics based Power Systems
    Tuesday, 18 February 2020
    10:30 AM-12:00 PM

    Session Chair: Lina He, University of Illinois at Chicago

    Session Chair Co-Chair: Bill Hederman, University of Pennsylvania    		A large number of renewable energy sources (RESs) including wind and solar have been integrated into power systems to meet energy demand while reducing the environment impact such as global climate change. Power electronic devices are widely applied to serve as integration interfaces to match the characteristics of RESs with power system requirements, e.g., voltage, frequency, active and reactive power, and harmonics. A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA) shows that the total installation of global renewable generation by the end of 2017 was 2179 GW, accounting for 18.2% of global total energy consumption. In the United States, the Renewable Energy Futures Study performed by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicates -currently available renewable technologies. The high-level penetration of power electronic interfaced RESs increases the complexity of power systems extremely. It brings system operators new challenges on the aspects of control, protection, and operation of power systems. It is, therefore, significant to identify the potential challenges and provide appropriate solutions to guide power system operation and welcome more RESs.

    The use of industrial control systems (ICS) for controlling critical components in a power grid is becoming more prevalent. Additionally, asset monitoring devices employing sensors for reporting voltage, current, temperature, and other measurements are becoming more common for power system operations. However, due to the high penetration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are interconnected with one another, resulting in higher vulnerability with respect to cyber intrusions. Cyberattacks on critical infrastructures are evolving, and their patterns are diversifying, particularly for energy delivery systems. Cyberattacks can damage physical systems by compromising their ICT infrastructure and gaining access to the controls and monitoring of energy delivery systems, without requiring a physical attack. In fact, a coordinated cyber attack on the Ukrainian power grid clearly showed the need for reliable cyber-physical security measures at substations and SCADA systems. It is, therefore, crucial to enhance the cybersecurity of industrial control systems and analyze cyber and physical system security holistically to enhance the resiliency and reliability of power systems.


    • L. HE, University of Illinois at Chicago, Data-driven Online Modeling of HVDC-connected Offshore Wind Generators for real-time Security Detection

    • J. HONG, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Cybersecurity for Grid Connected eXtreme Fast Charging Station

    • C-C. LIU, Virginia Tech, Cyber Attack on Smart Inverters and Wind Generators

    • A. MANTOOTH, University of Arkansas, Cybersecurity for Power Electronics in Sustainable Energy Systems

    • R. NUQUI, ABB US Corporate Research Center, Reinforcing Cyber Resiliency of Power Systems with embedded HVDC
    Emerging Applications of IoT Technologies for Transactive Energy and Grid Services
    Tuesday, 18 February 2020
    1:00 PM-2:30 PM

    Session Chair: Michael Starke, ORNL

    Session Co-Chair: Yingmeng Xiang, GEIRI North America    		As a rapidly increasing number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices are being deployed in behind-the-meter homes and buildings, their values and impacts on the electric power systems, especially from the perspectives of situational awareness and control, remain to be explored. Particularly, IoT technologies have enabled the aggregated smart end-use loads, energy storage, and photovoltaic to improve the operational efficiency, reliability, and resiliency of the grid, and to provide novel and economically viable grid services, such as frequency regulation. It is meaningful and urgent to deepen R&D work for enabling IoT technologies to serve the power system from both distribution and transmission points of view. The aim of this panel is to discuss the emerging IoT and edge-computing technologies and their applications in modern power systems that bring remarkable benefits to both the grids and customers. We will explore IoT framework that enables the fine-grained power system monitoring and control and grid-service transactive control architectures for scalable aggregation of loads in a timely fashion to provide variety of grid services. The session comprises of four talks followed by discussion.

    1. The development and testing of a scalable multi-layered transactive control by using a wide range of behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs) in commercial buildings to maintain reliability and resilience of the power grid;

    2. An IoT-based platform featuring a Blockchain-based ledger protocol that enables distributed management for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy transactions and demand response;

    3. Ongoing smart neighborhood deployment project with home-level control system for integrating generation, storage, and controllable loads;

    4. Security concerns in the IoT interfaces between the power grid and electric vehicles with a case study at Borough of Manhattan, New York City to demonstrate a dynamic cyber-attack capable of causing instability in the 345 kV transmission network.

    Panelists:

    • Y. DVORKIN, New York University, Securing IoT Interfaces between the Power Grid and Electric Vehicles

    • J. HILL, Southern Company, Development of a Smart Community

    • S. KATIPAMULA, PNNL, A Transactive Campus

    • Z. YI, GEIRI North America, IoT and Blockchain-Enabled Demand Response and Energy Transaction
    Definition, Planning and Operations of Resilient Electric Grids
    Tuesday, 18 February 2020
    3:00 PM-5:00 PM

    Session Chairs: S Suryanarayanan, Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University

    Session Co-Chair: Zhaoyu Wang, Harpole-Pentair Assistant Professor, Iowa State University    		Resilience is becoming an increasing priority in power grid operations and planning due to forceful grid disruptions caused by natural disasters and cyber intrusions. Existing reliability standards for operations and planning do not capture the severity of the consequence, hence limiting the capability in enhancing the system’s resilience. In this panel, we will discuss the definition of resilience and introduce a number of resilience metrics, followed by specifics on resilience-oriented operational and planning work. The panelists come from various backgrounds, including universities, national labs, and grid operation agencies; thus, this panel aims to provide a wider grasp of grid resilience. The talks will cover ongoing steps for resilience enhancement, including planning, preparation, adaption, and recovery stages.

    • F. ANDRADE, Associate Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Puerto Rico, Microgrids and Hurricanes: A Perspective from Puerto Rico

    • F. QIU, Principal Computational Scientist, An Electric Grip Resilience Improvement Program (EGRIP)

    • R. ROUAULT, PEPCO Holdings, Hardening practices for Transmission Systems: Natural Disaster Mitigation and Resiliency Measures

    • K. TOMSOVIC, CTI Professor and Director of CURENT an NSF/DOE ERC, Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of Tennessee, On the Definition and Quantification of Resilience: The IEEE PES Industry Technical Support Task Force White Paper

    • Z. WANG, Harpole-Pentair Assistant Professor, Data-Driven Resilience Modeling in Distribution Grids
    Energy Storage Evaluation and Planning for Grid of the Future
    Wednesday, 19 February 2020
    10:30 PM-12:00 PM

    Session Chair: Tu Nguyen, Sandia National Laboratories    		This panel addresses emerging needs for evaluating energy storage for grid services and for incorporating energy storage in integrated resource planning. Panelists will discuss state-level policies on energy storage, energy storage evaluation, energy storage cost, energy storage planning for high renewable targets in different states, and integrated resource planning incorporating energy storage as a resource. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Tu Nguyen from Sandia National Laboratories. Each panelist will deliver a 20-minute presentation, followed by 5-minute moderated question and answer session with attendee participation.

    • T. NGUYEN, Sandia National Laboratories, Introduction to the Panel

    • R. CONCEPCION, Sandia National Laboratories, Energy Storage Evaluation for Grid and Customer Services

    • D. COPP, University of California at Irvine, Energy Storage Planning for 100% Clean Energy Target

    • J. TWITCHEL, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy Storage in Integrated Resource Plans
    Renewable Energy Integration as the Catalyst for Distributed Grid Resilience
    Wednesday, 19 February 2020
    1:00 PM-2:30 PM

    Session Chair: Craig Rieger, INL

    Session Co-Chair: Masood Parvania, University of Utah    		The strategically applied use of renewable energy sources promises to increase the resilience of distribution and transmission systems. Recognition of where resilience can be achieved requires proper measures that consider all the aspects of resilience, including the most cost effective and resilient integration of assets to adapt and recover to natural disasters and cyber-attack. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), the Solar-Assisted State-Aware and ResilienT Infrastructure System (SolarSTARTS) project is developing state awareness and resilient control technologies for human in the loop supervisory and selected autonomous response actions to achieve resilience. The Microgrids, Infrastructure Resilience, and Advanced Controls Launchpad (MIRACL) is a project of the DOE Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) targeted at accelerating distributed wind (DW) technology development into the expanded distributed energy future.

    This session will focus on challenges, as well as tactics, technologies, procedures, and measures that are being addressed within the SolarSTARTS and MIRACL renewable research projects that provide promising strategies for best advancing distributed resilience. The session will include discussions of the tradeoff analysis that allows utilities and microgrid designers to plan and phase future enhancements in a prioritized fashion. Industry experience and expertise, specifically in the application of advanced distribution and microgrid systems, will provide basis for ongoing efforts and expectations for advancement.

    Topics:
    • Overview of what resilience means to the renewable energy sector

    • Examples of DOE research and development programs that are aiming to address the grid resilience contributions provided through distributed application of renewables

    • Technologies, methods and measures being provided through SolarSTARTS and MIRACL projects

    • Industry experience with renewables and resilience


    R&D Needs/Challenges and Project Overview:

    • D. WALTER, SETO Office Projects Overview

    • J. FU, WETO Office Projects Overview

  • C. SMITH, ESIG

  • J. GENTLE, INL, MIRACL

  • M. PARVANIA, University of Utah, SolarSTARTS

    		•
    Architectures to Harness the Power of DER for Grid Services
    Wednesday, 19 February 2020,
    3:00-5:00PM

    Session Co-Chair: Seemita Pal, Senior Power Systems Cybersecurity Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    Session Co-Chair: James Ogle, Senior Electrical Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory    		Incorporation of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar and demand response, combined with increasing storage, is transforming the electric grid. Driven by economic, environmental, and societal concerns developers, consumers, and energy providers are turning to DER to supplement or supplant traditional energy sources. However, this gives rise to new challenges that need addressing. The proliferation of new entities, diversity of ownership and equipment lead to limited visibility of DER resources, and interoperability issues due to lack of consistent application of protocols and standards. Additionally, minimal coordination exchange between transmission and distribution operation centers creates obstacles in leveraging DER into grid services. Therefore the opportunity to effectively harness the power of DER is through a systematic approach that optimizes regulation, technology, and operations together through new grid architectures. This panel explores the application of grid architecture for leveraging DER, and discusses practical approaches being adopted by the industry.

    The panel session touches upon several themes under Track 3:
    • Operational and regulatory coordination challenges and possibilities at the transmission and distribution seams

    • Application of grid architecture to address requirements and design considerations for coordination, information management, interoperability, and communications and control systems.

    • New utility business models and regulatory framework

    Panelists:

    • D. FORFIA, Director, Enterprise Architecture & IT Transformation, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Subtopic: Market structures - Development of market structure diagram and applying it for understanding the market design and areas of improvement. Market control diagrams have also been developed which show the processes that are implemented by ERCOT to operate the wholesale electric market.

    • J. GIBSON, Chief R&D Engineer Distribution Operations, Avista Utilities, Subtopic: Grid Operations - Avista is ensuring that customers have choice in their energy services including utilization of renewable Distributed Energy Resources. This presentation will discuss the approach being taken to integrate DER, buildings, demand response for grid services while optimizing customer choice and benefits through a combination of technical and business innovations.

    • S. LAVAL, Director Technology Development – Emerging Technology Office, Duke Energy, Subtopic: Interoperability - Duke Energy operates in states with some of the highest penetration of DER in the nation. To maintain stability of the grid in this environment, visibility into the distribution system and connectivity with DER equipment and systems is required. To address gaps in interoperability, Duke has worked with utilities and vendors to develop the Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB) framework and the NAESB OpenFMB standard to provide the needed grid edge interoperability and intelligence.

    • J. OGLE, Sr. Electrical Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Subtopic: Evolving Grid Design - New grid architecture structures for utilities with high penetrations of Distributed Energy Resources, Distributed Automation, and grid storage. As grid complexity increases it is necessary to rely less upon ad hoc structures for coordination control and more upon structures having rigorous foundations, so that inherent properties are understood in advance of build-out. These architectural structures allow the integration of new distributed resources to enable grid improvements in efficiency, reliability, and resiliency.

    • S. PAL, Senior Power Systems Cybersecurity Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
    NWA Operationalization; Effective valuation, procurement and operation of NWAs
    Thursday, 20 February 2020
    10:30AM-12:00PM

    Session Chair: Farnaz Farzan, Quanta Technology
    		There are several initiatives across the States to incent or mandate the deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) as Non-wires Alternatives (NWAs). These initiatives encourage discussions among utilities and other stakeholders around what electric infrastructure will look like in the future and how utilities should enhance their technoeconomic analytics tools, planning processes and operations to effectively (both technically and financially) accommodate NWAs into their networks. This panel intends to discuss a few aspects of what it takes for utilities to operationalize NWAs to reliably and economically. According to this framework, the proposed topics in this panel would begin by discussing the valuation of DERs as NWAs on a locational and temporal basis such that it is comparable with traditional grid upgrades. Next topic would discuss how NWAs can be incorporated into utility’s planning cycle and procurement given the value and the type of service they can provide. Since DER as NWAs provide reliability functions for utilities, another consideration in their planning is the level of monitoring and control as well as communication infrastructure that need to be in place to ensure that these resources meet their operational obligations, and that utilities have sufficient visibility and control over these resources. As such, the third panel presentation would focus on monitoring, control and communications architecture and technology options for DERs within utility’s environment. Finally, the panel would be concluded by some real-world examples summarizing some challenges utilities face in deploying DERs as NWAs from planning to implementation and operations. This discussion would also present some lessons learned from past and on-going experience that could be useful for future NWAs deployments. The selected panelists are subject matter experts who have extensive experience in their respective domains representing different entities such as utilities, consulting firms and vendors as listed in the next section.

    Proposed Panelists:

    • N. ABDULLAH, ComEd, Incorporating NWA into utility planning and procurement.

    • B. ENAYATI, National Grid, NWA challenges from utility’s perspective and lessons learned based on prior and on-going experience.

    • A. IPAKCHI, OATI, Monitoring, control and communications of DER for grid services.

    • J. LIU, PJM, Review of IEEE PES Natural Disaster Mitigation Working Group

    • E. NTAKOU, Quanta Technology, Locational and temporal valuation of DER/NWA for sub-transmission and distribution systems based on a marginal costing approach.
    Energy Storage for Resilience Applications
    Thursday, 20 February 2020
    1:00PM-2:15PM

    Session Chair: Imre Gyuk, DOE

    		The theme of the conference is “Enabling Intelligent and Resilient Communities”. Energy storage is often a key component of any grid resilience solution. This panel will explore various aspects of energy storage for resilience applications. This includes the resilience value of storage, lessons learned from resilience deployments, and tools for designing resilient storage solutions.

    Proposed Panelists:
    • P. BALDUCCI, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Topic: the value of energy storage for resilience applications

    • T. NGUYEN, Sandia National Laboratories, Topic: Sizing energy storage for resilience applications, including a case study of the Anza, CA system

    • R. CONCEPCION, Sandia National Laboratories, Topic: QuESt: An open source Python tool for energy storage evaluation

    • J. EDDY, Sandia National Laboratories, Topic: The Microgrid Design Tool (MDT) – a software tool for designing resilient microgrids, including sizing of energy storage
    Energy Storage – Batteries vs. Alternatives Grid
    Thursday, 20 February 2020
    2:15PM-3:30PM

    Session Chair: Barbara Tyran, President, Women’s Council on Energy & the Environment     		What modelling analyses and control technologies are needed to optimize the value of batteries and further explore innovative concepts for distributed and bulk storage applications? How should the entire battery life-cycle be valued? Are utilities and regulators too focused on rate-base growth?

    Proposed Panelists: