2019 Accomplishments (full list)

  • Developed the North American Energy Resilience Model (NAERM): OE developed a static NAERM to understand risks to infrastructure and identify needed investments to improve system resilience across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The NAERM will be a first-of-its-kind energy resilience model that will enhance situational awareness across multiple critical sectors, including electric and gas.
  • Approved a Critical Decision for the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL): OE approved the critical decision-1 for the GSL in August 2019, which releases the project to proceed into the baseline development phase. The GSL will validate new technologies at earlier maturity stages and lower the time and expense of storage chemistry innovations.
  • Advanced Electricity Industry Technology and Practices Innovation Challenge (EITPIC): OE launched this contest to seek innovative ideas on how existing procedures and practices can be modified or replaced to improve grid operations. OE awarded over $300,000 to seven submissions tackling topics such as improving situational awareness in the power grid, incorporating technology such as augmented reality into grid operations, and improving the speed and quality of data.
  • Finalized a Rule on Critical Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII): OE is in the last stages of finalizing the rule implementing DOE’s CEII designation authority under the Federal Power Act. The rule establishes administrative procedures intended to ensure stakeholders and the public understand how the Department would designate, protect, and share CEII.
  • Defense Critical Energy Infrastructure (DCEI): Designed and executed requirements for DCEI communications encompassing both emergency communications solutions with measurement notifications.

2018 Accomplishments

  • Two R&D 100 Awards:  Two projects supported by OE received prestigious R&D 100 awards.  The Dynamic Contingency Analysis Tool (DCAT) developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) identifies weaknesses, determines impacts that would result from a cascading power outage, and notifies the power operator of actions needed to stop an outage before it occurs.  The Mobile Universal Grid Analyzer (m-UGA), co-developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee, allows grid operators and utilities to assess the health of the grid in real time on their mobile devices.  
  • Grid-Scale Energy Storage Cost Reductions: A reduced cost of grid-scale (over 1 megawatt MW) energy storage technologies has been demonstrated at $275 per kilowatt hour for a 4-hour system based on a new aqueous soluble organic electrolyte.  Energy storage is emerging as an integral component to the grid modernization strategy to provide a diverse range of services including energy management, backup power, load leveling, frequency regulation, voltage support, and grid stabilization.
  • Proposed Critical Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII) Rule:  New administrative procedures in the CEII Rule proposed by OE would allow DOE to designate submitted electric infrastructure information as critical, safeguarding the security of this information from bad actors.  Comments received are available for public inspection on the regulations.gov website.  All comments received by December 28, 2018, and all other relevant information will be considered by DOE before final action is taken on this proposed regulation.
  • Investment in Grid Resilience:  OE announced awards of up to $7.5 million to support R&D of the next generation of large power transformers that can be shared and replaced more easily in the event of a failure, are smarter with embedded sensors and analytics, and are more secure to cyber-physical threats.  Transformers are fundamental to the grid, as all grid-sourced electricity flows through these devices.  
  • New Standard for Testing of Microgrid Controllers:  A new standard approved by the IEEE Standards Association Board tests core functions of microgrid controllers to ensure interoperability of different microgrid controllers used to operate microgrid energy management systems.  The basis of the new standard was the Generic Microgrid Controller (GMC), developed by the Advanced Power and Energy Program (APEP) at the University of California, Irvine. This project was funded by OE’s Advanced Grid R&D Division through its “Microgrid Research, Development, and System Design” Funding Opportunity Announcement.
  • International Electricity Regulation:  OE issued a Presidential Permit for the Nogales Interconnection Project, authorizing the international border crossing of a new, approximately five-mile alternating current (AC) transmission line that would cross the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona and be capable of delivering up to 300 MW of power to Mexico.
  • Electricity Transmission Planning:  OE released its annual U.S. Transmission Data Review, a compilation of transmission-related data focused on transmission infrastructure, reliability, use, constraints, planning, and economic congestion.  OE also hosted a public workshop on electric transmission development and siting issues to solicit input regarding its 2019 congestion study and foster dialogue on key issues affecting today’s electric transmission systems.
  • Helping Utilities Measure the Cost and Impact of Power Outages:  Through the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), OE released an updated Estimating Power System Interruption Costs: A Guidebook for Electric Utilities and the Interruption Cost Estimate Calculator 2.0.  The guidebook provides standard procedures for measuring electric utility customer interruption costs.  The calculator is an online tool that helps electric reliability planners at utilities, government organizations, and other entities estimate interruption costs and benefits associated with reliability improvements.
  • Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Women in Clean Energy Symposium:  OE helped plan and participated in the 2018 C3E Symposium.  Jointly administered by DOE, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative, Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy, and the Texas A&M University Energy Institute, C3E contributes to closing the gender gap and increasing the participation, leadership, and success of women and minorities in the clean energy sector.
  • Grid Modernization Practicums with the New England Commissions:  OE organized two multi-day workshops with the public utility commissions representing New England states.  The purpose of the workshops, which included additional support through several webinars, was to help the commissions address key issues related to their grid modernization strategies and implementation plans.  Materials developed by OE related to grid modernization strategy development are now being incorporated by several states (e.g., Ohio’s Ohio PowerFoward Initiative) and several utilities.