California’s aggressive clean energy policies and deployment goals for inverter-based distributed energy resources, such as photovoltaics and battery energy storage, have led to the development of advanced functions for smart inverters. The key challenge is how multiple inverters can operate side-by-side stably and beneficially when each is performing smartinverter functions. This issue is a primary concern at the residential level, where multiple homes share the same distribution-level transformer, feeder, or substation in which consumers are not permitted to add solar due to local over-voltage conditions already existing. To address this problem, the project focused on understanding advanced smart-inverter functions, as defined in California’s Rule 21 tariff. The following two methods were used to assess smart inverter behavior using laboratory and field tests: (1) successful side-by-side operation of smart inverters, and (2) using residential smart loads to enable more solar photovoltaics on the grid. As a result, specific smart load management algorithms and communications architecture were developed. The distributed energy resource devices and systems were reviewed for the viability of mass-market adoption and benefits to California. Project results and recommendations are intended to advance the industry’s knowledge of the use of smart loads and automation to effectively enable greater use of solar photovoltaics to customers and on the grid.
Author(s)
Girish Ghatikar, Amardeep Mehat, Walt Johnson, Harby Sehmar, Md Arifujjaman, Gabriel Andaya, Richard Bravo, Ryan May, Ben Baczenas, John Sartain
