Distribution Planning Work Group: Technical Issues & Methodologies for DG in Distribution Planning
The DG Collaborative's 2006 Report stated the progress to date toward the Work Group's goal of "identifying and quantifying costs and benefits of DG to test the general hypothesis that DG contributes value to distribution planning and meets customer needs...." The value of DG is to some extent dependent on the process by which distribution companies and other parties identify or support any distributed resources that offer potential benefits.
This web page lists materials that address ways to integrate DG into the process of distribution planning. Some technical information is also included that may be related to the 3 technical challenges identified in the DPWG Report (Attachment H).
These files are listed by date and are pdf unless otherwise noted. Some of the documents on this page include information on pilot testing of new technologies, but beginning with 2007, infomation on pilot projects is moslty posted on a separate page on pilots of smart distributed energy technologies. You may also search the documents listed on this web page and the other MTC DG Collaboration pages by clicking here and changing the first word(s) in Google's search box.
Methodologies and Technologies for Addressing DG in T&D Planning: Reports and Presentations -- New England and the Northeast
- December 2007 -- Marshfield Pilot Design Report, by Rocky Mountain Institute, Energy & Environmental Economics, Inc. and Freeman, Sullivan & Co, sponsored by NSTAR and MTC
- September 2006 -- Evaluation of the Contribution of On-Site Generation to Grid and Customer Reliability, Kanitkar and Kosanovic, EERE, UMass
- August 2006 -- A Comprehensive Process Evaluation of Early Experience Under New York’s Pilot Program for Integration of DG in Utility System Planning, Final Report 06-11, NYSERDA, by Fred Zalcman et. al., Pace Law School Energy Project and Synapse Energy Economics, Inc.
- June 2006 -- ISO-NE 2006 Regional System Plan (public version)
- For more info, see Regional System Plans page and Planning Advisory Committee
- June 2006 -- Survey of Interconnection Rules, Prepared for the Oregon Public Service Commission, Workshop on Interconnection of DG, W. Shirley, RAP
- June 2006 -- Grid Integration for Wind, W. Henson, UMass Renewable Energy Research Laboratory
- May 2006 -- Report of the Energy Research Council, MIT, May 3, 2006 -- see sections 3.1.1 (Efficient generation, delivery and use), 3.1.4 (Renewables), 3.4 (Understanding energy systems) and 5.3 (A proposed MIT sustainable campus energy initiative)
- April 2006 -- Utility Distributed Energy Resources Pilot Project Grant Solicitation (word), directed by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, funded under STAC Solicitation 03-STAC-01, Distributed Energy Infrastructure Analysis and Pilot Project for New Jersey and Pennsylvania (web link -- see Task Seven, Valuing DER Within the Local Grid)
- March 2006 -- Utility Forecasting & Planning, a presentation to MADRI by Jim Calore, PSEG
- March 2006 -- New LEED Methodology for Combined Heat and Power (from US Green Building Council at http://www.usgbc.org/)
- February 2006 -- Massachusetts Selects ConsumersPowerline to Manage 19 Key Facilities
- December 2005 -- The Role of DG in Power Quality and Reliability, Darrow et. al., Energy and Environmental Analysis & Pace Energy Project for NYSERDA
- December 2005 -- Exploring Distributed Energy Alternatives to Electrical Distribution Grid Expansion in Southern California Edison Service Territory (Final Report), T. Kingston and T. Stovall
- November 2005 -- DER Control & Communication Options, Charlie Salamone, Cape Power Systems Consulting
- November 2005 -- Reliability Objectives of DER, Charlie Salamone, Cape Power Systems Consulting
- November 2005 -- Distribution System Regulation, draft for MADRI Regulatory Sub-Group (see discussion of process for revealing deferral values of DER)
- September 2005 -- More Power to the National Grid, by Rachel Faugno, WPI Transformations, posted at www.wpi.edu
- August 2005 -- Demand Side Measures on the UK Electrical System, A Scoping Study, by KEMA (see section 9 regarding intermittent generation)
- May 2005 -- National Grid Summer Load Relief Program (Targeted DR) for specified areas, approved in Massachusetts DTE 05-44, including tariff and sample baseline and credit calculation
- May 2005 -- Improvements to the Hybrid2 Battery Model, Manwell et. al., Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts, AWEA Windpower 2005 Conference
- January 2005 -- Connecticut Energy Plan Framework: Recommended Solutions and Actions, by ISO-NE
- December 2004 -- "Backup Power: Benefits to Expect from a UPS, Jim McNamara, Northern Power Systems," Energy User News
- December 2004 -- CT Energy Advisory Board's Preferential Criteria for Evaluation of Energy Proposals
- 2004 -- Availability of Dispersed PV Resource During 8/14/03 Northeast Power Outage, Professor Richard Perez at SUNY Albany et. al.
- March 2002 -- Institutional and Technological Architectures for Distributed Power Systems of the Future, Marija Illic (MIT), and see other presentations at: Power Systems Conference, Clemson University
- Map of Massachusetts Gas LDC Service Territories (3 MB pdf)
Methodologies and Technologies for Addressing DG in T&D Planning: Reports and Studies -- Other States
- January 2007 -- Energy Storage (Energy Surety Microgrids), J. Boyes et.el., Sandia National Laboratories in Distributed Energy
- December 2006 -- Distribution Planning Opportunities Tutorial, Future of Smart Distribution Grids with DER, R. Dugan
- August 2006 -- National Electric Transmission Congestion Study, DOE (9.5 MB pdf)
- May 2006 -- The Modern Grid v1.0: A Systems View of the Modern Grid, developed for U.S. DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability by the National Energy Technology Laboratory
- May 2006 -- Utility Wind Integration State of the Art, by Utility Wind Integration Group (www.uwig.org)
- March 2006 -- Testimony of USCHPA before Appropriations Subcommittee on FY07 DOE Programs, John Jimison
- January 2006 -- "Designing for Uninteruptible Power: Opportunities for Battery-Based PV Systems," Jim Dunlop, The Energy Chronicle
- December 2005 -- Future Grid - Local Area Impacts of DE, EE and RE Impacts, John Kelly, GTI Distributed and Sustainable Energy Center
- December 2005 -- Case Studies and Methodologies for Using Distributed Energy Resources for Transmission and Distribution Support Applications, an EPRI White Paper (1010517)
- April 2005 -- Committee Workshop: California's Distribution Planning Process and the Role of Distributed Generation and Demand Response (web page) -- some of the presentations are also listed below:
- 2005 -- Evans, Peter B. 2005. Optimal Portfolio Methodology for Assessing Distributed Energy Resources Benefits for the Energynet, California Energy Commission, PIER Energy-Related Environmental Research. [CEC-500-2005-061-D]
- January/February 2005 -- DG Coming to the Grid's Rescue (article from Distributed Energy)
- January 2005 -- Development, Demonstration and Field Testing of Enterprise-Wide DG Energy Management Stystem, S. Greenberg et. el., NREL/SR-560-36951
- January 2005 -- Incorporate Distributed Resources Into the Distribution Planning Process, Roger Dugan, Snuller Price, Transmission & Distribution World
- Presentations on Detroit experience by Richard Seguin, Principal Engineer, Distributed Resources Planning, DTE Energy and others:
- May 2005 -- "DTE's DG Experience" (presentation to CEC)
- June 9, 2004 -- additional material from DTE presented to an IEEE PES meeting
- 2004 -- "Distributed Resources at DTE Energy"
- Related presentation: Dec. 2003 -- Making the Business case for Distributed Energy, An Economic Analysis, Richard Scheer, Energetics, Inc., 2003 Distributed Energy Peer Review (pdf)
- June 2003 -- Economic Potential of CHP in Detroit Edison Service Area: The Customer Perspective, J. Kellyn et. al., GTI, ORNL/TM-2003/251 (impacts on Ann Arbor feeder)
- July 2002 -- Distributed and Electric Power System Aggregation Model Determination and Field Configuration Equivalency Validation Testing, Murray Davis, DTE Energy Technologies
- 2004 -- Avoiding Distribution System Upgrade Costs Using Distributed Generation, Schienbein et. al. at DistributTECH Conference and Exhibition 2004, PNNL-SA-39886
- May 5, 2004 -- Summary of On-Going DG Studies, Snuller Price, E3
- March 2004 -- "Future Electricity Supplies: Redefining Efficiency from a Systems Perspective," Stephen Conners, MIT Lab for Energy & Environment (pdf)
- August 2003 -- DG Power Quality, Protection and Reliability Studies Report, GE Corporate R&D, for NREL (SR-560-34635):
- February 2003 -- Evaluation Framework and Tools for Distributed Energy Resources, E.Z. Gumerman et. al., LBNL-52079 (see p. 19 for a systematic description of 6 impacts of DER on utilities with references to studies and methods, and see p. 39 for a "Survey of Modeling Tools")
- January 2003 -- Blackout Mitigation Assessment in Power Transmission Systems, Carreras et. al., (c) 2003 IEEE
- "Lessons from the 2003 Blackout, " Union of Concerned Scientists (from UCS website)
- Small Is Profitable, Amory Lovins et. al., Rocky Mountain Institute (www.rmi.org) -- See sections on Benefits of Distributed Resources and Policy Recommendations
- March 2002 -- Identifying the Right Places for Cost-Effective DG/DSM Alternatives to Distribution Capacity Expansion, C. Bud, Commonwealth Edison
- January 2002 -- Integrating Distributed Generation into the Electric Distribution System, EPRI
- January 2002 -- DG Case Studies For Permit Streamlining and the Impact Upon Transmission and Distribution Services, for CEC by Onsite Energy Corp.
- September 2001 -- Distribution System Cost Methodologies for DG, Wayne Shirley, RAP
- November 2000 -- Costing Methodology for Electric
Distribution System Planning, prepared for The Energy Foundation, by Energy & Environmental Economics, Inc. and Pacific Energy Associates - March 2000 -- Distributed Generation Impact on Distribution
Automation Planning and Implementation,
G. Fantozzi,
S&C Electric Company,
Chicago, IL at DistribuTECH 2000 panel session on
“DG: Challenges of Value, Standardization,
Protection, and Data Management”
Methodologies and Technologies for Addressing DG in T&D Planning: Reports and Presentations -- Other Countries
- Reports by Distributed Intelligence in Critical Infrastructures for Sustainable Power ("CRISP," led by Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands):
- Materials from UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets ("Ofgem") and other UK sources:
- Introduction to new "Registered Power Zones" (RPZ) for DG innovation, ofgem (web)
- November 2004 -- The Economic Value of Micro Generation, P02a Working Paper Three
- June 2004 -- DG, Innovation Funding Incentive & Registered Power Zones: Regulatory Instruction & Guidance, Ofgem (pdf)
- March 2003 -- Survey Study of Status and Penetration Levels of DG in Europe and US, KEMA for UK DTI (see sections on "Technical Arrangements")
- December 2006 -- Integration Experience of PV Power Systems in Sub-Urban and Remote Mini-grids, Konrad Mauch et.al., CANMET Energy Technology Centre, Natural Resources Canada
- September 2004 -- Demand Management for Electricity Distributors: NSW Code of Practice, New South Wales Government
The following European materials were identified by KEMA during the Fall 2006 Distributed Energy Planning Workshops and introduced during the Nov. 21 Conference Call:
- November 2006 -- THE DISTRIBUTION CODE OF GREAT BRITAIN, Issue 8
- 2006 -- Banding of Connection Standards for DG, Econnect Ltd., UK DTI, see section 2.3 on Fault Ride Through (FRT)
- February 2004 -- Guidelines for Actively Managing Power Flows Associated with the Connection of a Single DG Plant, UK
- February 2004 -- Technical Guide to the Connexion of Generation to the Distribution Network, Distributed Generation Co-ordinating Group, Technical Steering Group, UK DTI
- March 2003 -- Survey Study of Status and Penetration Levels of DG in Europe and US, KEMA for UK DTI (see sections on "Technical Arrangements") -- KEMA did two studies for the British DTI in 2003/2004, collecting and summarizing information from e.g. the NL, Germany and Denmark -- this public report is part of "Workstream" on www.distributed-generation.gov.uk
- The following are related to harmonic interaction between a large number of DG inverters and the distribution system:
- Integrating distributed power into a supply network: Experience with multiple PV systems, by Johan Enslin et.al., in issue of Engineering Challenges
- Harmonic Interaction Between a Large Number of Distributed Power Inverters and the Distribution Network, Johan Enslin and Peter Heskes, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol. 19, NO. 6, November 2004
- 11/15/06 -- Interconnection of Distributed Power to the Distribution Network, Johan Enslin, KEMA (pdf)
- Additional info at the following websites:
- The British DTI has several other documents related to potential Guidelines at www.dcode.org.uk/
- DTI Sustainable Electrical Networks Programme reports and guides, including:
- 2005 -- Innovation Good Practice Guide (IFI), by EA Technology
- 2004 -- Intermittency and Electrical Storage, by UMIST
- 2004 -- Review of Storage Technologies, by EA Technology
- 2004 -- Status of Electricity Storage Developments, Swanbarton
- There are quite some detailed guidelines available especially in Denmark (wind and small-scale CHP), partially in English, at Danish TSO: www.energinet.dk
- The Germans have produced some special interconnection rules for DG and renewables in their grid code. These can be found at www.vdn-berlin.de but only in German.
Issues for Addressing DG in Distribution Planning: Articles
Methodologies for Addressing DG in Distribution Planning: Other Sources
- Pilots of Smart DER Technologies (web page)
- Galvin Electricity Initiative
- December 4-8, 2006 -- 2nd International Conference on Renewable/Distributed Energy Grid Integration, Napa CA, by Energy Insights, an IDC company (web)
- Reports posted under CEC Implementation and Distribution Planning Docket (# 04-DIST-GEN-1, # 03-IEP-1)
- Reports on Distributed Energy Resources Integration (Microgrid), posted at Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS) -- reports include the following:
- Non-Wires Solutions Round Table Information (Website), Bonneville Power Administration
- DOE programs with current activity related to the role of DG in distribution planning:
- DC Powering Architecture For Data Centers of the Future, LBL/Berkeley Lab
- European Commission Microgrids project home page
- European Local Electricity Production (ELEP)
- District Energy Library, maintained by Morris Pierce, district energy historian and energy manager for the University of Rochester.
- Clemson University Power Systems Conferences:
- June 2006 -- Symposium on Microgrids, Mont-Tremblant, Québec, hosted by Grid Integration group at CETC-Varennes
- Gas Technology Institute (GTI), Distributed Energy Applications center and Sustainable Energy Planning Office (web links):
- Small Is Profitable, Amory Lovins et. al., Rocky Mountain Institute (www.rmi.org) -- See sections on Benefits of Distributed Resources and Policy Recommendations
Other Source Materials for Reference
Please forward suggestions for additional resources to:
Fran Cummings, RET Policy Director
(Click here to return to the Distribution Planning Working Group Page.)
Related Projects
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) is a leader or sponsor of the following two projects which are closely related to the work of the Distribution Planning Working Group:
- July 11, 2005 -- EPRI DER Public/Private Partnership: Creating and Demonstrating Incentives for Electricity Providers to Integrate Distributed Energy Resources (DER), a proposal submitted by Massachusetts DOER to the State Technologies Advancement Collaborative (STAC) -- contact Ellen Petrill (650-855-8939) to discuss ways to participate in the EPRI DER Partnership.
Working Groups of the Massachusetts DG Collaborative: