Energy Systems Integration Newsletter: February 2024

In this edition, the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator’s second cohort begins technical assessment, the Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework shines in a solar assessment, NREL assists India’s decarbonization efforts, and more.

Second Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator Cohort Begins Technical Assessment

Understanding all assets connected to a utility’s infrastructure is an important step in protecting energy systems against threats. Solutions for monitoring information technology networks are commonplace; however, tools for actively monitoring operational technology systems are not yet widely adopted.

The second cohort of the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator seeks to rapidly address this gap through the technical evaluation of novel solutions. runZero was selected as the first solution provider to participate in Cohort 2, through which its technology will begin testing in the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) Cyber Range. A future announcement this spring will identify the balance of Cohort 2 participation.

Learn more about Cohort 2 and runZero’s proposed solution in our recent story.

Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework Tool Shines in a Solar Cybersecurity Assessment

With the global energy landscape transforming, securing behind-the-meter distributed energy resources is critical. The United States faces unprecedented complexity in its energy infrastructure, making cybersecurity a top priority. NREL’s Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF) tool is a free, open-access platform funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program that helps asset owners identify their cybersecurity maturity posture within their distributed energy resource systems through self-assessments. Featuring an interactive dashboard, progress tracking, and graphical representations, the DER-CF is a game-changer in fortifying cybersecurity maturity for all types of renewable deployments against cyber threats and addressing evolving cybersecurity challenges. Learn more about the DER-CF and its evolving capabilities.

Tell Me Something Grid Looks Into India’s Distributed Energy Future

In this installment of Tell Me Something Grid, NREL analysts Kapil Duwadi and Erik Pohl dive into NREL’s role assisting India’s decarbonization efforts. India is hoping to achieve 40% renewable electricity capacity and add 450 GW of renewable energy to its grid by 2030. A key element to its grid planning is the incorporation of distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar, storage, and electric vehicles. To do that, NREL researchers worked with Indian utilities to develop and adopt tools for data management, DER risk analysis, and load distribution assessment that will optimize DER growth and support a more sustainable power system for the future.

How Will the 2024 Solar Eclipse Impact the Power Grid? Join an Upcoming Webinar to Find Out

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will traverse North America, affecting solar power plants across 12 U.S. states for up to two and a half hours. To evaluate the grid impacts of the eclipse, NREL partnered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, expanding on prior research completed for the August 2017 eclipse. The 2024 Solar Eclipse Study includes assessments of the impact of the eclipse on reducing production from both utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) and distributed PV across all three interconnections, with detailed regional-level modeling of the Eastern Interconnection.

The 2017 North America total solar eclipse came and went with minimal impact to the power grid. Since 2017, solar installations have almost tripled in the U.S. and a larger impact on solar generation is expected. This study is focused on the potential risks and mitigation methods for grid operation during the 2024 solar eclipse.

NREL is hosting a webinar on April 2 to present the study findings. The webinar will feature interactive and detailed grid visualizations, as well as summary information for balancing areas and independent system operators, helping utilities and operators anticipate the impact they will experience on that exceptional day of the eclipse. Register for the webinar.

NREL’s Juan Torres Honored With Inclusive Leader Award by GlobalMindED

GlobalMindED has awarded Juan Torres, associate laboratory director for Energy Systems Integration at NREL, with a 2024 Inclusive Leader Award in Energy and Sustainability. Awardees are selected for setting national and global standards for inclusion across business, society, and government. Discover Juan’s inspiring journey—from becoming a first-generation college graduate to leading a large, cutting-edge body of work at a DOE national laboratory—in a recent Q&A.

NREL Research Maps Path to Clean Skies and Better Health

Globally, air pollution contributes to more than 4 million deaths per year—disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Because a significant source of pollution is combustion from energy systems, transitioning to clean energy technologies can bring about public health cobenefits. In a newly released Long Story Short YouTube video, Principal Environmental Engineer Garvin Heath discusses NREL’s efforts to analyze the impact of decarbonization strategies on air quality and public health outcomes, with high-impact studies in Los Angeles and around the world helping to evaluate policy interventions and prioritize paths to pollution reduction.

Remote City in Alaska Enhances Its Microgrid for Resilience

The City of Cordova, Alaska, is pushing the frontiers of microgrid design with support from DOE and national laboratory experts. The Resilient Alaskan Distribution System Improvements using Automation, Network Analysis, Control, and Energy Storage project, 5 years in the making, revolutionized how Cordova’s remote residents and large fishing industry access reliable electricity. Along the way, the laboratories realized new tools for real-time microgrid validation using a digital twin. Watch this YouTube video to see how the multilaboratory project, led by NREL using the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform, furthers DOE and its labs’ ability to assist remote communities in their transformations to clean, resilient energy systems.

DOE, NREL, and Clean Energy Industry Stakeholders Partner To Address Cybersecurity for Hybrid Energy Systems

The DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response has launched the Renewable Energy and Storage Cybersecurity Research project—a multilaboratory effort, led by NREL, that will analyze and address cybersecurity concerns for hybrid energy systems. The project expands on DOE’s Wind Cybersecurity Consortium to include solar and energy storage. Through regular discussion and collaboration, Renewable Energy and Storage Cybersecurity Research members will work together to assess threats, identify gaps and opportunities, coordinate on best practices, and work toward addressing cybersecurity concerns related to the generation and distribution of hybrid renewable energy systems. Learn more about the pilot project and its goals.

New Virtual Training and How-To Resources Help Leaders Advance Renewable Energy Development

NREL and RMI—founded as the Rocky Mountain Institute—have collaborated to provide a virtual training to support the development of renewable energy projects and created a how-to guide on battery energy storage systems. The publicly available virtual training and how-to-guide are available through Rocky Mountain Institute’s Energy Transition Academy and are designed to help energy leaders with advancing renewable energy development.

The recently launched self-paced virtual training will help energy leaders learn essential skills in modeling power systems using NREL’s System Advisor Model.

Publications Roundup

Determining and Unlocking Untapped Demand-Side Management Potential in South Africa: Demand Response at the Grid Edge, NREL Technical Report (2024)

South Africa is currently experiencing an energy crisis. The principal challenge is the low energy availability factor of the coal-fired component of the existing generation capacity. These shortages are due to a combination of unplanned breakdowns and maintenance and units being out of service for planned maintenance. The energy crisis in South Africa is a supply-side problem, as the country has excess installed dispatchable generation capacity of 48.3 GW compared to a peak demand of 34.4 GW in 2022. This report presents a comprehensive examination of possibilities for demand-side management programs for South Africa.

Major Drivers of Long-Term Distribution Transformer Demand, NREL Technical Report (2024)

Distribution transformers, used to step down medium-level voltage to service-level voltage for end-use electrical consumption, are currently experiencing an unprecedented imbalance between supply and demand. Utilities are experiencing extended lead times for transformers of up to 2 years (a fourfold increase from pre-2022 lead times) and reporting price increases by as much as 4–9 times in the past 3 years. The supply of transformers is critical for the reliability and growth of the power system. Additionally, supply chain issues, if not resolved, could impact climate goals with respect to the electrification of demand and the growth of renewable energy. This report summarizes the initial analysis conducted by NREL, supported by the DOE Office of Electricity and Office of Policy, to assess the long-term drivers of demand for distribution transformers.

Resilience Assessment and Planning in Power Distribution Systems: Past and Future Considerations, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2024)

During the past decade, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have significantly increased worldwide. As these threats continue to challenge power distribution systems, the importance of mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events has become paramount. Consequently, resilience has become crucial for designing and operating power distribution systems. This work explores the current landscape of resilience evaluation and metrics within the power distribution system domain, reviewing methods and identifying attributes that define effective metrics. This work provides an in-depth analysis of existing research on planning solutions to enhance distribution system resilience and support power distribution system operators and planners in developing effective mitigation strategies.