Connected Communities as the foundation for the future resilient grid operations: challenges and opportunities

As buildings become smarter, and as sensor systems, internet connectivity and data collection become more ubiquitous, there are substantial opportunities to improve the performance and efficiency of buildings. Moreover, the groups of buildings combined with distributed energy resources (DERs), such as electric vehicle (EV) and photovoltaic (PV) generation, can reliably and cost?effectively serve as grid assets by strategically deploying efficiency and demand flexibility. Thus, there is a growing need for connected communities solutions that best integrate and optimize all our energy resources on the grid to provide Americans with the most reliable and affordable electricity possible. In this panel session, pioneering thought leaders from government, national laboratory and industry will share their latest efforts and experiences on connected communities, and discuss the associated challenges and opportunities. We expect to learn more about how connected communities can improve grid resilience while offering environmental and community benefits.