About UI-ASSIST
The US-India team behind this proposal represents the strongest universities, national laboratories, electrical utilities, and vendors in the field of clean energy. Washington State University and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur are leading 30 collaborating entities, eachof which has an established track record of contributing to the significant changes already occurring in electric distribution system. The formation of this strong team is possible because these organizations have years of collaboration as well as across geographic borders. India’s high electric load growth is projected to continue for the near future, while rapidly increasing generation capacity. In the US, the load growth is modest and DER will mostly replace existing generation capacity. This difference is recognized here by integrating research in societal value to anticipate that the policies adopted in the two countries may be quite different.
The fundamental approach in this proposal is to bridge the gap between smart grid, storage, and renewable energy research and facilitate its subsequent adoption by utilities around the world in their distribution system operation and planning. There will be six different phases with multiple objectives. Some of the major outcomes from our research include:
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1) Open source test feeders for urban, semi-urban and rural, in India and US;
2) Storagemodels with advanced analytical techniques for optimal operation;
3) Operational and control algorithms as well as analysis tools, to integrate DER control with Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) and Microgrid Management System (MEMS);
4) Cyber-Physical Analysis tools and Cyber Security Measures for smart operations with high DER;
5) Lab scale testing and real-world field demonstration; and
6) Recommendations to address socio-politicalissues for adopting these technologies and the needed workforce development.
Objective
- To evolve future distribution grid that will allow the continuing increase of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) penetration towards a carbon-free electricity system
- To develop and demonstrate the DSO functions for optimal utilization and management of DER by interfacing with DER control and microgrid control system with high penetration of energy storage
Scope
- R&D Activities on Microgrid and Active Distribution Network Concepts, Storage Optimization and Management, Electric Vehicle and Renewable Integration, Microgrid and Advance Distribution Management Systems, Cyber-security Measures, Market and Policy Issues.
- Lab scale pilots for proof of concepts, and 5 field pilots, each in US and India, for demonstration in rural, semi-urban and urban areas.
- Manpower training in Smart Grid area.