This project demonstrated that solar PV can be recruited to stabilize the grid, smooth out disturbances, manage power flows, and assist circuit switching operations. It developed a radically new, layered control framework for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to act in response to real-time, measured conditions on their local distribution circuit, rather than waiting for a price signal to indicate preferred behavior. By enabling resources to act as good citizens on the electric grid, Phasor-Based Control (PBC) facilitates arbitrarily high solar penetration levels.

This paper explains conflict over technological process innovation in cultural terms, drawing primarily on a case study of electric power distribution and strategies to automate its operation.

Successfully integrating renewable resources into the electric grid at penetration levels to meet a 33 percent Renewables Portfolio Standard for California presents diverse technical and organizational challenges. This report characterizes these challenges by coordinating problems in time and space, balancing electric power on a range of scales from microseconds to decades and from individual homes to hundreds of miles. Crucial research needs were identified related to grid operation, standards and procedures, system design and analysis, and incentives, and public engagement in each scale of analysis. Performing this coordination on more refined scales of time and space independent of any particular technology, is defined as a “smart grid.” “Smart” coordination of the grid should mitigate technical difficulties associated with intermittent and distributed generation, support grid stability and reliability, and maximize benefits to California ratepayers by using the most economic technologies, design and operating approaches.

This report articulates and justifies the preliminary selection of diagnostic applications for data from micro-synchrophasors (µPMUs) in electric power distribution systems that will be further studied and developed within the scope of the three-year ARPA-e award titled Micro-synchrophasors for Distribution Systems.

Chapter 34 in the textbook, "Renewable Energy Integration: Practical Management of Variability, Uncertainty and Flexibility"

For most of the 20th century, the electric grid had a relatively simple role: moving electricity from central power plants to the consumers. Its behavior was predictable, operation was largely deterministic, and an operator was in control. But with growing uncertainty, aging infrastructure and uncertainty in energy markets, we must begin to think about the future of the energy grid and restructuring to effectively rise to these challenges.

This paper describes a research project to develop a network of high-precision phasor measurement units, termed micro-synchrophasors or μPMUs, and explore the applications of μPMU data for electric power distribution systems.