Sessions

The proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs) on the distribution system is creating an unprecedented series of opportunities and challenges for grid operators. The ability to harness the power of DERs through distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) is critical in order to gain visibility into the location and operational characteristics of DERs with control over those assets also being key. This session will present diverse viewpoints from an investor-owned utility, a public power authority, and a co-op on the value of DERMS, how to optimize DERs for multiple use cases, where each organization is on their DERMS journey, and where they see the final destination of that journey.

Portland General Electric (PGE) is Oregon’s largest electric utility serving more than 862,000 residential and 105,000 commercial customers over 4,000 square miles. PGE is an Investor-owned utility managing electric generation, transmission and distribution with the goal of providing 50% of energy from renewable resources by 2040 up from ~16% in 2016. In order to address the increasing operational challenges and enable a clean energy future while ensuring reliable service and exceptional customer service, PGE is in the process of deploying a real-time, comprehensive ADMS and DERMS on a single OT platform that seamlessly integrates with the existing Transmission Energy Management System. Working collaboratively with Open Systems International Inc. (OSI), PGE is implementing an ADMS/DERMS to increase operational efficiencies, reduce system loss, reduce peak demand, improve SAIDI/SAIFI, enable new customer services and maximize DER utilization. The DERMS functionality will enable real-time visibility, forecasting and control of DER’s, including PV, vehicles, battery, wind, microgrids, and more. The OSI DERMS is interfacing via OpenADR with Enbala, PGE’s existing Demand Response provider to enable real-time dispatch of DER to reduce periods of peak load. In the future, PGE will explore how DER can participate in CAISO Western Energy Imbalance Market. This presentation will explain the utility’s ADMS/DERMS strategy, share design decisions and lessons learned.

Utilities are piloting it, car manufacturers feature it, start-ups have developed the software and hardware to manage it, regulators are making rules for it, and customers experiencing more weather-related outages are asking for it. Will EVs soon be providing ancillary services to the grid, providing additional value for owners? Will homes and small businesses ride through outages by leveraging the batteries in their vehicles? If so, when? What is the current status of leading utilities, manufacturers, regulators, and vendors? Join us for a lively panel discussion with EV manufacturers and utilities to discuss the future of EVs as a grid resource. 

Utilities have the opportunity to grow their businesses while leading the decarbonization of the trucking industry. Each fleet that converts is the equivalent load of another factory being served in their area. Distribution system planning will be critical in areas where truck fleets and distribution centers are closely located. The timing required to bring infrastructure to some fleet areas requires months if not years of planning so now are the time to start the work. In September 2021, NACFE and RMI are conducting the 3rd Run on Less demonstration, but this one will be focused completely on battery electric commercial freight trucks. This event will provide 13 real-life and real-time case studies on 13 different models of MD & HD EV trucks. The first steps of large truck electrification are now underway, and the challenges in the transition will have an impact on fleets, utility companies, EVSE’s and technician training schools. This pair of non-profits will conduct demonstrations and compile significant data and reports on operations to guide the dialog that will need to occur. Unlike light duty vehicles, MD and HD vehicles will be purchased in bulk by companies and fleet managers thus require large loads quickly. Understanding how to minimize the impact on the grid of these large loads is key to their success. EPRI will present tools to help understand grid capacity, fleet load, and location of fleets. These tools will help both fleet managers to understand the power requirements for electrification as well as how to optimize their charging to minimize OpEx and peak power needs and utilities to understand where there is additional capacity on their grid as well as where electrification may occur based on current fleet locations.

Join us for a company spotlight, featuring Owl Cyber Defense. More details to come! 

As utilities adopt a data-driven approach to vegetation management, the need for an accurate, near real-time view of the condition of the network is becoming more and more important.  Leading utilities are turning to satellite-based data and derivative analytics to satisfy needs.  During this panel session, industry leaders will discuss vegetation management use cases supported by satellite-based data analytics.  Attendees will have an opportunity to gain perspective on satellite data products and how utilities are using these products to solve critical vegetation-related use cases.

Today’s utility customers expect access to real-time outage information, and they make important decisions based on this information. However, utilities are often hesitant to provide customers in-depth estimated restoration times (ERT) because if those times are inaccurate, customers may be more frustrated than if the utility had not communicated at all. Utility providers can improve customer experience by implementing an advanced restoration time approach that compartmentalizes restoration times into a four-stage process: estimated, projected, verified, and actual restoration. Each stage in the process has its own set of actions and objectives to make restoration times more accurate during an outage event.  Once an outage event is associated to a device, the initial ERT is calculated based on historical restoration times for that type of device. The first step in an advanced restoration time solution is to automatically modify the initial ERT value based on real-time conditions, such as the number of existing outages and the number of eligible crews.  The second step is when the outage is assigned to a crew where the system combines travel time with the modified initial ERT to create a projected restoration time (PRT). The accuracy is further improved when a first responder arrives at the protection device and assesses the downstream damage.  This third step is known as a verified restoration time.  After the outage has been repaired, the last step in the advanced restoration time process is to document the outcome which is known as the actual restoration time. This final time can then be used as the new historical information, thus creating a self- learning cycle of data to improve accuracy. Advanced restoration time solutions and models have the potential to change how the industry defines requirements for meeting levels of response and performance. By using an advanced restoration time solution, utility providers can deliver their customers more accurate information and create a new customer outage experience that delivers timely information across multiple modes of communication.

Vegetation management at distribution utilities has many challenges including diverse plant species and topography. Other challenges that managers of vegetation management programs address are the overgrowth of vegetation, trees in decline, as well as dead and damaged vegetation along rights-of-way due to diseases, insect pests, site changes, and simple old age. A case study for a large electric cooperative’s site in Virginia showed promise in identifying at-risk trees from aerial hyperspectral images identified by sensors onboard fixed-wing aircraft and also from multispectral images from sensors onboard satellites. Approximately 70-90% of the trees identified as healthy or stressed by the satellite data were confirmed by arborists “ground-truthing” a subset of the trees. Additional research is being conducted in California in 2021 to determine how well the developed methodology works to identify at-risk trees in a different types of forest, such as conifers versus hardwoods. Distribution utilities can use the research to improve the performance of reliability and resiliency measures related to the tree-caused outages and improve vegetation management practices. The presentation will illustrate the use of aerial resources to pinpoint at-risk trees, highlight the benefits of using technology to aid vegetation management and reliability practices, and provide the results of a demonstration project in two different ecotypes.

Advances in technology continue to provide us with an ever-growing set of options for performing vegetation inspections around critical facilities. Alex Brown from Exelon Clearsight will provide an easy-to-digest overview of the most promising current options, including visual, multi-spectral, satellite, LiDAR, and photogrammetry. He will also discuss the pros and cons of each as well as the challenges associated with translating the information gathered into actionable results.

Join us for a company spotlight, featuring Owl Cyber Defense. More details to come!