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Title: Evaluation of Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control for Distribution Feeders With High PV Penetration

Journal Article · · IEEE Access
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
  2. U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), Washington, DC, USA

Reliable and resilient grid operations with high penetration levels of distributed energy resources (DERs) can be achieved with improved situational awareness and seamless integration of DERs with utility enterprise controls. This paper presents the details of the development of a data-enhanced hierarchical control (DEHC) architecture and the results of its evaluation. The DEHC is a hybrid control framework that enables the efficient, reliable, and secure operation of distribution grids with extremely high penetrations of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation by seamlessly integrating centralized utility controls, distributed controls for DERs, and autonomous grid-edge controls. In the DEHC architecture, the advanced distribution management system (ADMS) controls the legacy devices (such as load tap changers and capacitor banks), the PV smart inverters are dispatched by real-time optimal power flow, and the grid-edge devices regulate local voltages in coordination with each other. The DEHC is demonstrated using a commercial ADMS platform, real utility distribution feeder models, and grid-edge devices. The performance of the DEHC architecture is evaluated using simulations and hardware-in-the-loop experiments with voltage regulation as the control objective. The results show that the DEHC enables high penetration levels of PV in distribution feeders by effectively managing system voltages through the synergistic operation of ADMS, distributed PV smart inverter controls, and secondary-level grid-edge device control.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1865701
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1865702; OSTI ID: 1869685
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5D00-77512; 9758815
Journal Information:
IEEE Access, Journal Name: IEEE Access Vol. 10; ISSN 2169-3536
Publisher:
Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English