POWER January 2013 - 26

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
cations module, with no need for an electrician
or utility service call. Utilities will
be free to develop customized modules or
approve third-party products to enjoy both
full interoperability with and clear demarcation
from customer equipment.
Electricity providers are expected to
have the real-time ability to manage residential
consumption in a cost-effective
manner while offering customers intelligent
and flexible approaches for moderating
energy use in response to price
or other signals. The cost of integrating
residential loads with the grid with use of
the DR connector is anticipated to be as
much as 80% to 90% lower than today's
approaches. As electric vehicles gain market
share, the modular DR connector also
represents a key enabling technology for
transforming batteries into distributed energy
resources.
To accelerate adoption of the new standard
(CEA-2045), an ongoing EPRI project
engages manufacturers, utilities, and
their communications technology and load
management partners in field deployment
and testing of retail products incorporating
the modular DR connector. In addition
to examining interoperability and efficacy,
these studies will address consumer experiences
with installing plug-in modules
and participating in DR programs.
Common Protocol for Inverters for
Grid Integration. In any photovoltaic
(PV) and energy storage systems, inverters
convert the DC energy output from the PV
module or battery cell into AC energy. In
addition, inverters ensure that power quality
and safety regulations are followed.
However, with the increase of distributed
energy resources (DER) on the electric
grid, especially on distribution circuits, it
is expected that inverters will have a more
active role in supporting grid stability.
Power electronics incorporated in most
inverters are capable of providing reactive
power, which can be utilized for voltage
regulation and volt-VAR optimization.
The voltage fault ride-through capability
of inverters allows PV plants to stay online
during momentary grid disturbances. Communication-connected
inverters, acting on
utility commands, can change their operating
mode (for example, power factor, active
power generation, grid-tied vs. islanded) to
match seasonal or load variation needs.
Most of the commercial inverters today,
especially the larger utility-scale units,
can provide smart grid functionality. The
challenge is to integrate hundreds of them
from different manufacturers, each with
proprietary communication protocols, in
the same utility network and operate them
26
in a harmonized manner. Ongoing EPRI
research is developing common functions
and standard communication protocol
mapping for smart inverters.
Another key challenge is to coordinate
the operation of these smart DER resources
with existing distribution circuit resources
like load-tap changing transformers, line
regulators, or capacitor banks to optimize
grid performance and reliability. Recently,
EPRI, working with the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) and National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST),
launched a new initiative specifically to
address the need for utility enterprise integration
of DER.
Big Data Challenge. As electric utilities
are implementing advanced distribution
applications to improve distribution
system efficiency, reliability, and performance,
a vast amount of data is being
generated from sensors, devices, and
systems. Utilities are now responsible for
data management and analytics to support
distribution operations, planning, and asset
management For example, going from
one meter read per month to hourly reads
(720 per month) is a 71,900% increase in
kWh data, in addition to potential for volts
and VAR data (Figure 5).
When standardized analytical methods
and tools are developed collaboratively,
it helps reduce the total cost to procure,
implement, and sustain advanced distribution
applications. The development of
common analytical methods that can be
applied across the utility industry can accelerate
the ability to process large data
sets and translate them into actionable
information for common distribution applications.
EPRI's Distribution Modernization
Demonstration is addressing these
R&D challenges, identified by more than
1,400 industry and public advisors.
The project will employ " learning by
doing " in developing and demonstrating
data management and analytics. It will
explore new and existing distribution applications
that have value to utility members
for uses such as early identification
of incipient faults, increased accuracy of
outage location, and online validation of
geographical information system (GIS)
maps. It is expected to define the detailed
functional requirements for each application,
along with the associated data management
and integration requirements.
And it will demonstrate these applications
in a practical approach, preserving legacy
systems, as appropriate, while developing
an architecture that leverages emerging
standards such as the Common Information
Model.
Electrification to Enhance Productivity.
Businesses are facing intense economic
pressures to improve productivity,
enhance quality, and lower costs to remain
competitive. Utilities are seeking to add
value for their customers and promote local
economic development. And society
seeks to curb emissions to improve quality
of life while growing jobs and stimulating
the economy. Electrification through the
application of novel, efficient electrotechnologies
can address all of these needs.
Electricity offers inherent advantages of
controllability, precision, versatility, and efficiency
compared to fossil-fueled alternatives
in many applications. However, a lack
of familiarity and experience with emerging
5. Data explosion. The amount of data collected by utilities will continue to increase as
more advanced technologies are deployed. Fully taking advantage of this new data by turning it
into actionable information with industry standard methods and tools is a significant challenge
for utility companies. Source: EPRI
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
1980
Smart in-home
devices
Building energy
management
AMI
Transmission
sensors
Distribution
automation
1990
www.powermag.com
Workforce
management
2000
Substation
automation
deployment
Distribution
management
2010
2020
2030
POWER | January 2013
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POWER January 2013

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