GM 2019 - Aggregated Distributed Energy Resources: Impacts on Transmission and Distribution Planning and Operations

This panel addresses issues related to the integration of aggregated distribution energy resources and their impact on transmission and distribution planning and operations. While individual DER do not cause operational challenges on distribution feeders, the cumulative effect of many units may have significant impact. Properly coordinated, they can provide flexibility in the energy supply, dispatched or curtailed based on the grid conditions and business opportunities at specific times. This panel examines the (a) technical, economic and regulatory aspects of DER aggregation; (b) methods for integrating aggregated resources into transmission and distribution network planning and operations; and (c) industry solutions for EMS, DMS and DERMS for aggregated DER, including concepts for virtual power plants and microgrids. This panel describes the role of standards in response to the challenges and impacts of the interconnection of individual DER; microgrids; and aggregated DER. It presents guidelines and existing practices on the techno-economic challenges and solutions for the deployment of DER aggregation platforms with respect to standards, e.g., IEEE p2030.11 DERMS.