Energy-to-Grid Integration

Energy-to-grid integration is the study of how modern grid technologies can support the integration of energy resources into systems that are reliable, resilient, and secure.

Energy-to-grid integration includes developing new standards and codes for the interconnection of new energy resources and designing strategies to enhances energy resilience without investments in major infrastructure upgrades to the current system.

NLR researchers are using the unique capabilities in the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) to solve complex computational and data analysis problems related to examining the impact of energy technologies on transmission and distribution power systems.

The ESIF Advantage

Advanced Distribution Management System Test Bed

Consisting of software simulation and hardware elements to recreate a power distribution system, the advanced distribution management system (ADMS) test bed can simulate just about any modern grid scenario to demonstrate how systems and controls will perform in a realistic environment. NLR's ADMS test bed can help utility companies and vendors meet customer expectations of reliability, power quality, energy use, data security, and resilience to natural disasters and other threats. Learn more about NLR's ADMS test bed.

Inverter Research Platform

Vendors and researchers come to the ESIF for a 360-degree perspective of inverter operations. The facility's test bed features seven grid-forming inverters (GFM) from six vendors and multiple grid-following inverters (GFL) that can be interconnected with various types of loads to evaluate the control, functionality, and interoperability of GFM inverters. One project culminated in a 1-MW multivendor experiment that covered interoperability of GFM and GFL units, black-start by GFM units, and grid-connected and islanded operation, all hosted on a real-world emulation to validate key learnings.

Microgrid Evaluation Platform

The ESIF houses NLR's megawatt-scale microgrid evaluation platform, which allows utilities to connect their microgrids and run a variety of simulations. Microgrids can connect and disconnect from the grid and operate in grid-connected or island mode, which can result in improved customer reliability, cost reduction, and resilience to grid disturbances. Learn more about NLR's microgrids.

Power Electronics Research Platform

Power electronics bridge the connection between energy devices and the larger grid. Using the ESIF's power electronics research capabilities, partners can develop cost-effective, power-dense, and high-performance technologies and validate them in real-world applications designed around grid modernization goals. For example, NLR has supported innovative smart inverter designs that provide improved grid reliability through voltage and frequency regulation, ride-through, dynamic current injection, and other grid services. ESIF also has one of the most advanced test beds for developing medium-voltage power electronics, which can significantly improve power conversion options beyond what is available using low-frequency power transformers.

Learn more about how NLR is improving the nation's electric grid infrastructure to make it more flexible, reliable, resilient, secure, and secure.

Contact