Leveraging Big Data to Improve Distribution Grid Modeling and Operation

The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) has motivated utilities to deploy SCADA, smart meters, and other advanced sensors, which has greatly improved the monitoring capability on distribution grids. The unprecedented amounts of data, different data types and resolutions, as well as incomplete or incorrect grid models have introduced new challenges to distribution utilities. This panel will present recent progress in leveraging a large amount of data to improve distribution grid modeling, operation, planning, and DER management. It will show how utilities can use big data analytics and machine learning to unlock the untapped potential of various field measurements and radically enhance distribution grid reliability and resilience. The panelists include experts from universities, national labs, and utility companies.