National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Electric Infrastructure Systems Research

As our nation's electric power system ages, it is faced with increasingly difficult load and power quality demands. Physical, technical, and economic constraints have combined to place heavy burdens on an already-taxed system. NREL is working to strengthen the electric power system through the integration of distributed energy resources and advanced power electronics.

Electric infrastructure systems R&D at NREL is focused on distributed energy testing and certification, interconnection standards and codes, interconnection and control technologies, energy management and grid support applications, and distributed energy regulatory and institutional issues. These research areas support NREL's Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability Program and are a part of NREL's support for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.

NREL's electric infrastructure systems research contributes to a range of generation and integration technologies and programs. NREL's Distributed Power Systems Integration Team coordinates and supports research for two DOE programs: the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Distributed Energy Program and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability's Electric Distribution Program. In addition, it is a member of NREL's Electricity, Resources, and Building Systems Integration Center and works with industry, academia, other national laboratories, and various standards organizations.