Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Advanced Grid Institute (AGI) quarterly newsletter. AGI is a collaborative partnership between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Washington State University (WSU) on a mission to solve critical grid modernization challenges. Since 2018, the AGI has been working to accelerate research and development of advanced grid modeling tools and operational technologies that the complex power systems our future power grid will require. This quarterly newsletter will bring you research updates, timely announcements, news, events, and developments of interest to the AGI community.
MISSION/STRATEGY
AGI Releases Strategic Long-Range Plan: A Sustainable, Affordable, and Resilient Power Grid
In June, AGI released its updated strategic plan after a series of strategic planning sessions involving both internal and industry stakeholders. The strategic plan articulates the guiding vision and core values that will inform and prioritize all future AGI research efforts. The strategic plan defines goals, desired outcomes, and proposed activities in the areas of research, education, influence, and institutional collaboration. Download the strategic plan now.
RESEARCH AND PROJECTS
Advancing Transactive Energy
The AGI continues to support development of more robust modeling capabilities for an increasingly complex power grid. One example is how AGI researchers have used the HELICS co-simulation platform to support transactive energy control. HELICS is an open-source, co-simulation framework developed by PNNL and other national labs that integrates simulators designed for separate transmission, distribution, and communication domains. Using the HELICS co-simulation engine, AGI researchers have developed a specific application wherein a transactive energy mechanism allows prosumers connected to microgrids to exchange energy and load curtailment with their neighbors in response to energy pricing signals. The team has also demonstrated a price discovery mechanism in a distributed architecture that allows microgrid managers to iteratively negotiate the price of energy while limiting disclosure of pricing information and preserving the privacy of prosumers. Learn more about HELICS.
Microgrids and Resiliency
Stand-alone microgrids have proven their value as the last line of defense for critical end-use loads. However, if individual microgrids could coordinate their operations they could also support the bulk power system. AGI researchers, along with their partners in the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium (GMLC), want to increase the operational flexibility of individual microgrids by enabling networked microgrid operations. Operating in an Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB) architecture, consensus algorithms are being developed so that groups of microgrids can coordinate support to the bulk power system when it is under stress and support self-assembly of the individual microgrids following a bulk power system outage. This GMLC project, called Citadels, uses a layered control architecture that supports normal grid-connected operations, the bulk electric system during abnormal conditions, and bulk system restoration with self-assembling elements. PNNL and WSU researchers are working to coordinate centralized and distributed control for different modes of networked microgrid operations. Learn more about Citadels.
PEOPLE
AGI Joint Appointees
Meet the engineering professionals serving in the PNNL and WSU joint appointment program as part of AGI. Joint Appointments are mutually beneficial partnerships intended to elevate the scientific impact and productivity of researchers by leveraging the resources, facilities, and capabilities at both institutions. AGI joint appointees bring renowned expertise, thought leadership, collaboration, and leadership dedicated to advancing grid modernization research. Meet AGI Joint Appointees.
Distinguished Graduate Research Program Paves Career Paths
Monish Mukherjee is completing his Ph.D. degree from WSU’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science while working with PNNL as an AGI distinguished graduate research fellow. He was recently hired by PNNL as a Power Systems Research Engineer. His research interests include transactive energy systems, distribution system planning and operation, and condition monitoring of high voltage power equipment. Learn more about WSU/PNNL's Distinguished Graduate Research Program.
EVENTS
AGI Seminars
In conjunction with the Energy Systems Innovation Center (ESIC), the AGI hosts monthly seminars on topics relating to AGI projects. Here are the AGI-ESIC seminars from this academic year. Stay tuned for the fall semester seminar schedule.
AGI leaders invite you to share your knowledge and learn more about AGI and how PNNL and WSU researchers and scientists are collaborating to solve critical grid modernization challenges. They will discuss AGI work to implement a national-scale simulation platform and data framework to enable advanced grid controls and operations for complex power systems of the future. The event is open to the public. Stay tuned for more information.
PUBLICATIONS
Recently Published
AGI researchers have recently published the following research papers:
As society faces such complex, multi-faceted challenges, grid researchers and engineers are working to develop better tools to keep the lights on during extreme events. Gowtham Kandaperumal, a graduate student in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), is part of a WSU team working to develop tools to quantify, assess, and visualize distribution grid resiliency and improve methods for routing utility crews for system restoration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More.
The Need for a Standardized API for Distribution System Control and Management
AGI researchers play a significant role in advancing PNNL’s GridAPPS-D project, an open-source platform to simplify the development and deployment of advanced applications for distribution operators. Grid researchers at PNNL, Poorva Sharma (who received her master’s degree in computer science from WSU), and Ron Melton, examine key challenges that must be addressed to achieve agile, cost-effective deployment of advanced distribution in an article published by T&D World. Read the Article.
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For additional information, please contact AGI Co-Directors Noel Schulz (WSU)
