Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is there a need for a pillar (or focus area) for secure, high speed, affordable 4G/5G/fiber communications which is a key enabler to the modern bi-directional grid?
Answer: Communications is a focus area that cuts across the GMI pillars, from device-level connectivity and interoperability to architectures for enabling operational monitoring and control of the future grid. Evaluating communication requirements and driving provisions using technologies like 5G and optical communications is needed for reliable operations of the future distributed grid.
Question: One area that warrants more emphasis: The ability to share DER among customers through microgrids is becoming very important as a strategy to improve infrastructure resilience and energy affordability. In our GMI projects for technical support of state PUCs, we have found that state regulations – particularly those dealing with utility franchise authority and exclusivity to serve customers within defined utility service territories – can be a major impediment to implementing multi-customer microgrids.
Answer: Topic 2 is somewhat being covered by the Microgrid R&D program within the Office of Electricity. According to their strategy whitepapers from 2022, topic 7 speaks to support for Public Utility Commissions and State Energy Offices to provide information that supports their decision-making in this context. OE is spending about $800k/yr on that activity.
There are also more bespoke, customized technical assistance activities that include microgrids as one of the technology solutions being considered, such as C-LEAP, C2C, and the newer State-oriented Technical Assistance programs from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Grid Deployment Office, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, and Cybersecurity Energy Security and Emergency Response.
Question: Given that the future of the grid could look very different under different assumptions (e.g. high distributed energy resources versus centralized carbon capture resources), how does GMI strategize DOE investments for each future condition?
Answer: Uncertainty and forecasting are major challenges in energy futures, especially when planning for clean energy, new technologies, climate impacts, and policy goals that are subject to change. DOE has substantial capability in characterizing and incorporating risk in planning processes. GMI attempts to develop solutions, such as scenario-based planning methodologies, that can effectively quantify risk, resilience, and decarbonization to help formulate least regrets strategies.
Question: Is GMI considering how we can use high performance computing to our advantage to build the grid for the future?
Answer: Within several pillars, including Planning and Operations, the GMI acknowledges that integrated planning and operations with better forecasting for a more complex system will involve substantial increases in computing requirements. GMI hopes to leverage leadership class computing, cloud computing resources to enable large-scale analysis as well as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions to harness the output.
Question: How can the grid modernize to accommodate the high penetration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) while maintaining system reliability and stability?
Answer: The Operations Pillar will work to address the integration of IBRs across several of its topic areas. System operators need better visibility of IBRs and better information about how they’re performing. For this reason, an important aspect of grid modernization is deploying wide-area measurement systems that can effectively capture the behaviors of IBRs. New analytics will be developed to turn this raw data into actionable information for system operators. In addition, new controls based on the high-speed capabilities of IBRs will be developed to keep the grid stable, and protection systems will be updated to ensure that contingencies don’t cascade into reliability events. By modernizing the grid’s measurement, controls, and protection systems, we can accommodate IBRs while enhancing the grid’s reliability and stability.
The Devices and Integrated Systems Pillar is developing modular approaches along with robust novel device-to-system level architectures using composable system design methodologies to balance physical reliability and interface requirements for various operational needs.
Question: What role do stakeholders, including industry, regulators, and academia, play in the long-term research, development, and deployment of grid modernization technologies?
Answer: Engagement with these stakeholders is critical to achieve the objectives of the Operations Pillar. The Grid Modernization Initiative offers an opportunity for academia to partner with DOE and the national laboratories to develop control theory, data analysis approaches, and novel protection schemes. After testing and refinement using the resources available at the national laboratories, utilities will participate in the Grid Modernization Initiative through initial demonstrations. Partnerships with industry and regulators are then critical to ensure that these new capabilities have a pathway to the marketplace so that they can achieve widespread adoption.
Question: High penetration of renewables will require power flow across various regions. Is GMI working on approaches towards improving capacity and flow control?
Answer: Grid-level power electronics and technologies HVDC/MVDC will enable better flow control along with improved capacity. Another key challenge to address is to develop modular interoperable technologies to enable scalable deployment and maintaining reliability. The Devices and Integrated Systems Pillar is working on component-level to system-level architectures, characterization methods, and interoperability requirements to address these challenges.