Energy Systems Integration Newsletter: October 2020

In this edition, cybersecurity researchers work to secure energy systems of tomorrow, innovations receive recognition in annual R&D 100 Awards, researcher Charisa Powell develops cybersecurity tools to safeguard distributed energy resources, and more.

New Directions Sharpen NREL's Cybersecurity Research, Protecting Energy Systems beyond the Grid Edge

New energy technologies are entering the market daily, and they are transforming the grid to one that is more dynamic, distributed, and autonomous. And although these advancements continue to create new opportunities for innovation—and a more modern energy infrastructure—they can also introduce new unknowns, potential vulnerabilities, and increased access to our electric grid by nefarious actors.

"We are seeing many, many more energy devices being added to the power grid, specifically at the grid edge, and it's changing the way we generate, store, and use energy," said Juan Torres, NREL associate laboratory director for Energy Systems Integration. "All of this implies more and more communications to make the grid run. As that complexity increases, the attack surface will increase, and our reliance on digital technology will increase. That's why cybersecurity needs to be at the forefront."

With evolutions to both new grid technologies and more sophisticated hacking methods, NREL is preparing to better identify and respond to the types of threats that future energy systems might encounter.

Read the full story.

OptGrid and Concentrating Solar Power Module among Technologies Recognized in 2020 R&D 100 Awards

The annual awards presented by publisher WTWH Media LLC to the nation's 100 most important innovations have been announced. In addition to three other NREL award winners, one award was presented to an NREL module for sensing and removing inevitable hydrogen buildup that occurs in concentrating solar power installments, and grid optimization software OptGrid was recognized as an award finalist.

The Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) provided experimental space to develop each technology. The concentrating solar power module required chemical and thermal research infrastructure to perfect the module's integrated sensing and remediation functions. These systems were studied in the ESIF in collaboration with industry partner Acciona Solar Power Inc.

OptGrid, which provides a computational engine for managing and optimizing distributed electric grids, had been evaluated on hundreds of real distributed energy resources in the ESIF. OptGrid is now being licensed by industry partner Utilidata to optimize solar installments through smart meters.

Read the full press release.

Q&A with Charisa Powell: Safeguarding Distributed Energy Resources

As a cybersecurity researcher in NREL's Energy Security and Resilience Center, Charisa Powell develops current strategies for energy-sector organizations to be vigilant and resilient in their cybersecurity safeguards. As a key writer and project planner for two prominent research endeavors—the Distributed Energy Resources Cybersecurity Framework and the Cyber-Energy Emulation Platform—Powell is helping lead the way in developing cybersecurity tools for the distributed energy resource community.

Check out our Q&A with Charisa Powell.

Check Out Our Newly Revamped Website

Want to learn more about the ESIF's unique research infrastructure? Interested in how to access our labs—and which capabilities are available to support your own research? Check out NREL's newly redesigned ESIF website, offering updated information on the facility's capabilities, which are transforming today's energy systems through integrated energy technologies, high-performance computing, and foundational energy sciences. This new design of the website aims to get the information that ESIF users need faster, and it provides a more modern look and intuitive experience.

IEEE Journal Features NREL Commentary on the Future of Renewable Energy

Open the October 2020 issue of The Bridge, a magazine produced by IEEE's Honor Society Eta Kappa Nu, and it is like opening a door to NREL's research laboratories. Inside, the future of renewable energy technologies feels close, with scientists ready to turn the corner on the most efficient, flexible, and resilient energy systems imaginable.

The recent issue of The Bridge features articles from NREL and DOE contributors that explain research directions in the areas of renewable energy transmission, consumption, and generation. NREL Buildings Laboratory Program Manager Roderick Jackson serves as guest editor of the issue and introduces NREL's vision for renewable energy across domains.

Read more about the article and the future of renewable energy.

New Report Highlights the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Grid Modernization

Power generation and distribution are critical infrastructure systems that impact public safety and welfare, and artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to play an integral role in the development of the modern grid. A discussion of AI's numerous benefits to critical systems—along with challenges—was recently published in Computer, coauthored by an NREL researcher. The report highlights AI's permeating role in developing performance optimization, fail-safe operation, and cybersecurity affordances to critical systems. Examples include more seamless integration of distributed energy resources and batteries into the grid; electric, semi/autonomous vehicles, intelligent transportation systems, and smart highways; and public safety advances in facial recognition, behavioral pattern matching, and security robots for monitoring and surveillance.

Researchers note that developing and implementing AI technologies must also foster public trust through strong regulatory agencies; however, they are confident that the benefits of AI—in increased public safety, fewer accidents, and reliable renewable energy—will help the public embrace these advancements.

NREL, CableLabs Collaborate To Expand Energy Resilience Using Broadband Data

CableLabs, a nonprofit research-and-development lab funded by the cable industry, is collaborating with NREL to bring the industry's access network monitoring capabilities to U.S. electric grids. An early-stage project called GridMetrics aggregates data from cable broadband networks and includes 5-minute, low-latency measurements of voltage from neighborhood-level sensors. The goal is to combine data from these power sensors with data analytics and private, high-speed communications networks.

The collaboration is part of the Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project known as Situational Awareness of Grid Anomalies (SAGA), which is sponsored by the DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response. The SAGA tool is being developed at NREL to visualize grid events and train computers to classify them in near real time using grid data, weather data, electric grid models, and utility metering.

Learn more about SAGA and NREL's work in energy security and resilience.

American-Made Solar Team's Solid-State Transformer Wins Grand Prize

As part of the American-Made Solar Prize competition, researchers in NREL's Integrated Devices and Systems Group provided technical support and expertise to one of the competing teams, Resilient Power Systems. A leading provider of innovative energy solutions to electric utilities and their customers, Resilient Power Systems has developed a solid-state transformer that allows the independent regulation of solar, battery, load, and grid sources—and the team was announced as one of two winners for the Round 2 grand prize.

Solid-state transformers are critical to meeting modern energy systems' objectives and needs through their easy integration with distributed energy resources and implementation of microgrids. With the latest winnings of $500,000 and an additional $75,000 voucher for NREL support, the team is working to further optimize the technology's performance and cost-efficiency.

Read the full NREL news article on this technology and the American-Made Solar Prize.

Leading Princeton Researcher Joins NREL Computational Science Center

NREL and Princeton University recently announced the first joint appointment under a new master agreement between the two institutions. Under the joint appointment, NREL's experts in computational science and combustion simulation will work closely with another leading combustion scientist, Dr. Michael Mueller from Princeton's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, to enhance research collaboration while offering unique educational opportunities to Princeton students.

Read more about Dr. Mueller's extensive background and what this appointment means for both entities.

Publications Roundup

Opportunities for Research and Development of Hybrid Power Plants

As the costs of renewables become more competitive, a new power system design could further displace traditional generation: hybrid power plants with combined renewable technologies. An NREL technical report summarizes the benefits and opportunities—financial and operational—of colocating assets in hybrid power plants. The authors report on the potential economies of scale and access to other value streams, such as capacity markets and dispatchable operation, enabled by hybrid power plants. The report also summarizes methods in control and optimization as well as system design considerations that will guide future research and development on the subject.

Hybrid Floating Solar PV-Hydropower Systems Could Transform Power Systems around the World

Floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) on reservoirs with existing hydropower plants across the globe have the potential to provide up to 7.6 TW of power (more than 10,600 TW-hours annually). New research from NREL, published in Renewable Energy, explores the energy generation potential and benefits of integrating FPV and hydropower into hybrid systems. A primary benefit of a hybrid FPV system is that variable generation of solar energy can be compensated by integrated hydropower to provide utilities with reliable, dispatchable energy.

Because hybrid FPV-hydropower is a new application of renewable energy technologies to the market, industry stakeholders need data-driven evidence to demonstrate its benefits to the industry. To help provide these data, NREL researchers have developed a comprehensive review of FPV-hydropower system benefits and an assessment of its global technical potential through a geospatial approach— using publicly available, global data sets. Researchers estimate that a hybrid FPV-hydropower system can generate 3.0–7.6 TW annually and could be a key asset for making power system planning decisions around the world.