Co-led by NREL, University of Washington, and EPRI, the Universal Interoperability for grid-Forming Inverters (UNIFI) Consortium will address fundamental challenges & develop solutions to seamlessly integrate grid-forming (GFM) inverters into electric grids alongside machines and other inverter-based resources (IBRs) at any scale. UNIFI will engage researchers, industry partners, utilities, and other stakeholders to form an ecosystem that will adopt a systems-oriented approach to conduct research, development, & demonstration; define functions to prove vendor-agnostic interoperability while conforming to system rules; & develop workforce training courses for planning, designing, & operating grids with high level of GFM IBRs.

Project goal is to develop a strategy for relay settings and control algorithms for Inverter-based Resources (IBR) with high penetration levels of distributed energy resources (DER) at both the distribution and transmission levels with an integrated co-simulation model.

Integration of multiple generation sources, including legacy devices is a difficult problem due to multiple causes: lack of advanced control algorithms, engineering processes for integrating generation technology, and the inherent complexities of system integration. Forming networked microgrids out of these heterogeneous power sources is a further challenge, due to the varying dynamics of the resources, different communication protocols used and the required redesign of the protection systems. Our aim is to demonstrate how a solution based on distributed computing techniques, advanced software engineering methods and state-of-the-art control algorithms can provide a scalable and reusable solution to the problem, yielding a highly configurable Integrated Microgrid Control Platform (IMCP) that can be reused across many facilities.

In this project, we will develop a Photovoltaic Analysis and Response Support (PARS) platform for improving solar situation awareness and providing resiliency services. The team will focus on developing new operation modes for solar energy systems and a PV+DER situation awareness tool to enable accurate estimation and predication of PV and DER operation conditions in both normal operation conditions and in emergency operation when there is a wide spread outage caused by natural disasters or coordinated cyber attacks. Real-time dynamic studies will be conducted to compute system operation conditions for different operation options. This tool will be run on real-time simulation platform so that optimal restoration plans can be developed in real-time using operation modes enabled by Tasks 1 and parameters derived in Task 2. The team will model transmission, distribution, and all the way down to each DER and inverter units at utility scale PV farms on a multi-core OPAL-RT real-time simulation platform.

The proposed concept entails the research, development, and demonstration of an economical, data-fused grid edge processor (EDGEPRO) that can generate required data to support flexible grid operations by processing raw data from various existing sources (e.g., smart transformers, smart pole-top sensors, distribution automation (DA) controllers, smart inverters). The edge device will process high-speed and high-volume data by leveraging data fusion and machine learning (ML) technologies, making and executing local grid control decisions, and communica-ting certain processed data with other control systems, the cloud, and/or the utility control center. Because of its capabilities, the EDGEPRO will be able to calculate ����������������virtual meter��������������� data that, will eliminateing the need for installing additional grid monitoring sensors and devices at many feeder locations such as a service transformer, to and reduce the overall cost of flexible grid control. The target cost for the advanced edge data processor is $3000 USD per unit.

In this project, the team will investigate the ability of performing steady state analysis of distributed energy resources (DER) at both the distribution and transmission levels with a combined model. Currently this analysis is often performed by Duke Energy using Siemens PTI������������������s PSS���������E on the transmission level and using Eaton CYMDIST on the distribution level. The team will evaluate the ability to perform a unified DER analysis involving various types of T&D interconnections and potential interactions using a single simulation software tool(s) for analysis and planning of multiple network types. Given the increasing levels of DER devices seen at the distribution level, it is no longer feasible to perform only a distribution feeder-level analysis. Given the new ride-through and other requirements in the updated IEEE 1547 standard set, it will be necessary to evaluate the impact of transmission-level events to DER interconnections at the distribution-level to evaluate potential loss of DER generation. Also, the increased level of distribution DERs back-feeding into transmission is now impacting transmission-level operation and protection. Analyzing higher-penetration levels of DERs necessitates the need for an integrated analysis using a combined T & D model.

The goal of the Resilient Information Architecture Platform for the Smart Grid (RIAPS) project is to design, prototype, document, and evaluate via concrete applications a software platform for use in various networked computing nodes attached to the Smart Grid. The Smart Grid will run on software that depends on a software platform. Just as a revolution in Smartphones was started by Android that enabled all sorts of software ���������������apps������������������ to run on a wide variety of devices, our vision is that the same principle applies to the development of the Smart Grid, and the design, specification and prototyping of such an open software platform is essential for the growth and proliferation of the system.

This project will develop course materials and instructor teaching aids to deliver a four-week course. The main goal of this course is to provide newly graduated engineering students and power professionals with a quick but broad introduction on power engineering fundamentals related with the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). This course materials will include fundamentals of power system design and operations pertinent to the adoption of DERs (e.g. energy storage, solar photovoltaics, controllable loads, etc.) in power system operation and planning. Many engineering graduates today did not receive the necessary training on the basics of three-phase electric power because most universities no longer require power systems be taken by all electrical engineering students. This course will cover basic topics usually taught in a two-semester elective power engineering curriculum. After taking this condensed course, engineers with a general engineering background will be equipped to master the following fundamental materials on how to operate and plan a three-phase electricity power system: the modeling of power system components, power flow studies, economic dispatch, unit commitment, power system dynamic response, the modeling of microgrid and DERs.

The objective of this project is to construct a testbed and analysis framework for investigating how large PV penetration on a feeder affects the operation of the distribution system. In recent years, as the number of solar installations has increased, utilities have experienced unexpected power system behavior near the solar installations. These issues result from interactions between PV inverters and/or between the PV inverters and utility equipment such as transformers, breakers and capacitor banks. Since the inverters that interface the solar panels to the grid operate at switching frequencies in the kHz range, the available data recordings may not provide the fidelity required to find the root cause of the problem. Further, the placement of data acquisition equipment may not supply the required information for a complete understanding of the root cause of a problem.

The objective of the project is to design innovative hybrid microgrids controllers and test commercial/in-house microgrid controllers in the HIL environment. We will design and develop energy management algorithms and power management methods for both grid-connected and off-grid modes of a MW-level microgrids. The static and dynamics performance of loads and distributed energy resources (i.e. solar photovoltaic, energy storage devices, and electric vehicles) are modeled in detail.