The existing grid control systems were developed over several decades using a set of 20th century design characteristics: centralized dispatchable generation connected to transmission, relatively slow system dynamics that permitted manual control, no significant grid energy storage, passive loads, one-way flow of real power at the distribution level, operation for reliability, and generation-following load for balancing. Several of these design parameters have become outmoded by new technologies, changing economics, and shifting customer expectations.
This technical area focuses on new control technologies to support new generation, load, and storage technologies. This effort develops power flow controllers that will permit fine adjustment and multi-directional power flow as well as flow control devices that can optimize transmission flows. It will also develop a consensus grid architecture with industry to frame the requirements for future control paradigms and devices and improved analytics and computation for grid operations and control.
- Develop power flow controllers that will permit fine adjustment of power flow and multi-directional flow
- Develop flow control devices that can optimize transmission flows.
- Team Lead: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory