Testbed Demonstration for Distribution Grid Controls with High DER Integration

SCE's Distribution Resource Plan Demonstration D (DRP Demo D) project
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The DRP Demonstration D project is part of the Integrated Grid Project (IGP) which utilizes California's Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) funding., also referred as the Integrated Grid Project (IGP), was designed to demonstrate and test: 1) a control system that monitors and operates multiple distributed energy resources (DERs) and 2) how to manage a distribution system with a high penetration of DERs. This paper presents the development of a demonstration test bed that allowed laboratory testing of systems, equipment, and concepts for future grid modernization efforts. The test bed verified the optimization, control, communication architecture, and technology readiness for future production systems. Communication with smart inverters using IEEE 2030.5 was tested, and control system operations demonstrated how locational benefits and values of DERs at the substation level could be used for Volt/VAR Optimization, Power Flow Optimization and Virtual Microgrid.