The GridAPPS-D™ team developed a range of example applications that demonstrate the powerful capabilities that the platform provides, including:

  • Access to a diverse set of measurements and sensor configurations
  • Retrieval of data from voltage regulators, capacitors, and other equipment, enabling an application to automatically configure itself for a given feeder
  • Access to customer load data through the standardized message bus and time series database, enabling the creation of load models
  • A standardized message bus that simplifies dispatching commands to the system, enabling an app to send setpoints and commands to voltage regulators and capacitors

Application

Developer / Utility No-host Sponsor

Summary of Functionality

State Estimator and Model Validation

PNNL / Avista

Distribution models, from the GIS and asset management databases, often contain a number of errors due to a combination of incorrectly entered data, variations in equipment parameters, and missing information. This application will use all available data to identify errors in the network model and to estimate what the correct values should be. The state estimation will be an online tool that can provide information through DMS visualization and/or supply data directly to other applications.

Volt-Var Optimization

PNNL / Duke Energy

This will be a VVO scheme that is designed to run on feeders that operate based on a segmented concept. Feeders are operated in segments with 500-750 customers per segment and controllable switches on either end. The segments can be reconfigured across multiple feeders to support normal and abnormal operations. While traditional VVO system must turn off when there is a loss of measurements and/or topology issues, the proposed VVO will be able to coordinate the operations of segments using DERs and utility assets.

Transactive System

PNNL / Southern California Edison

A transactive application will implement a distribution system market mechanism enabling the convergence of economics and control for distributed optimization in support of system operations.  Optimization is achieved via distributed decision-making based on concepts such as local greed wherein each distributed participant makes decisions about optimizing their local economic position within the constraints of control system convergence and stability.

Data-Driven Forecasting

NREL / City of Palo Alto

Using real-time measurements such as data from PMUs and DMUs, perform system-state forecasting in short- to medium-term horizon (from seconds to hours) in multiphase distribution network. The input will be partial information on model, measurements (PMU, SCADA, smart meters, etc), and historical data. The output of this application includes forecasting DER output and end-use load energy consumption.

Distribution OPF

NREL / Avista

The application will address the problem of real-time control of distribution grids with high penetration of DERs. The control algorithms will be based on a decentralized online optimization methodology and will track the solution of a time-varying OPF problem with the objective of optimizing the different grid resources while providing good quality of service (in terms of voltages, currents, etc.) in real-time (second or even sub-second time scale).

Traffic Flow Analysis

Washington State University / Central Hudson

In an ADMS environment there are numerous flows of data that have not been possible in the past. With new data flows, it will be a challenge to determine if the data transfers within the ADMS are occurring properly. This application will be a data flow analyzer to determine if the data flow into, out of, and within the ADMS are “correct.” This analysis will be used to determine missing data, corrupted data, unnecessary data flows, and any anomalous traffic.

Volt-VAR Optimization

WSU / San Diego Gas and Electric

The proposed application will develop OPF formulations to coordinate legacy devices - voltage regulators, load-tap changers, capacitor banks and new device – DER smart inverters to achieve system-level goals. This VVO scheme is specifically developed to work in the presence of high penetrations of DER.

Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR)

WSU / Snohomish County PUD

In an environment of distribution systems with high DER penetration, traditional radial configurations are no longer practical. This application will conduct feeder restoration and reconfiguration with utility as well as DER resources and microgrids. The FLISR scheme is developed specifically to deal with systems that have high penetration levels of DER.

Resiliency Application for Fault Tolerant Energy Systems (RAFTES)

University of Alaska Fairbanks / Golden Valley Electric Association

Microgrids with variable and intermittent DERs are less resilient to system disturbances and demand swings than large interconnected grids. RAFTES determines the renewable availability (forecast) and system variability in microgrids with variable DERs and energy storage systems (ESSs) to alert the operator when power, voltage, frequency, and energy storage are approaching set limits. The application also performs linear/nonlinear optimization to provide utility engineers with control set points to more effectively manage DERs and ESSs and maintain resilient and fault-tolerant grid operation.