Most people may be surprised to learn that utilities need access to real-time data about their customer’s electricity consumption. The utility only sees a drop in electricity consumption when someone installs solar in their home or office. They can’t tell how much energy the rooftop solar system is saving. It is difficult for utilities to optimize their distribution system. The SunShot Initiative’s Enabling Real-Time Grid Integration of Solar Energy (ENERGISE) funding program aims to change this.
ENERGISE assists the electricity grid in its evolution from a one-way flow of electricity – where centralized power stations feed electricity to transmission systems and then down to distribution networks – into a two-way flow where rooftop solar installations can feed energy into the grid. ENERGISE projects will allow utilities to plan better and control power flow patterns, adding enormous amounts of solar energy to the grid. These projects will integrate sensors, communications, and predictive data analytics to provide grid operators with up-to-date measurement and forecasting data for distributed solar sources.
Utility companies and customers benefit from gaining visibility of a customer’s electricity production. Southern California Edison’s ENERGISE team will use its existing information systems to improve customer communication. The team is trying to understand better the distribution network and how much solar power it can handle. The project will focus on the types of data and the amount that needs to be exchanged from the grid with a rooftop solar installation. It will also examine the constraints and protocols for effective control and operation. This automated and structured data exchange will accelerate the connecting solar projects to the grid and allow efficient and reliable operation of distributed energy resources.
It can be challenging for utilities to balance solar power production with other forms of electricity to meet demand because they need to know how much energy is generated by rooftop solar systems. The team at the University of Vermont has developed an operational framework that will coordinate solar with other flexible resources in the distribution grid. Solar and load data, which predicts future solar output and consumer demand for electricity, are being used to determine when solar energy will be added to the mix. Any mismatch between supply and demand due to forecast errors can be corrected by real-time coordination with backup resources. Grid operators can use smart meters and sensor data to get the most accurate picture of the energy mix. They can also develop decision models that automatically respond to abnormal events.
The 13 ENERGISE project will create new tools to improve communication between the utility company and its customers. However, these improvements may also lead to security vulnerabilities. Every project is required to have a cybersecurity plan. Utilities do not want their control systems exposed to the outside world, which could lead to hackers stealing data or shutting down certain parts of the grid. These plans enable utilities to create an infrastructure capable of supporting the increased data and bandwidth demands for communication while keeping energy management systems secure.
ENERGISE will ensure that utilities can manage an influx of power as more people opt to generate their electricity using solar panels. Communication is essential in any relationship.