EPNES: A Holistic Approach to the Design and Management of a Secure and Efficient Distributed Generation Power System

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

The research will create the conceptual foundation for designing and managing distributed generation (DG) technologies for a secure, efficient, and restructured electric utility system. Our interdisciplinary work, to be coordinated by members of Virginia Tech's Consortium on Energy Restructuring, will strive toward overcoming technical, business, and policy limitations in the use of DG technologies. Engineering researchers will investigate the use of adaptive protection and power electronics modules to enable secure and reliable operation. They will examine methods to modify system operation to deal with threats from natural phenomena, terrorist attacks, and load-generation changes. Business researchers will employ the engineering study's results to establish parameters for new business models that can be used in a power grid with DG assets. Social science investigators will gather information on consumer and legislative sentiments regarding characteristics of a DG system as defined by their engineering and business colleagues. They also will study concerns held by underrepresented groups, such as low-income and rural citizens, regarding the use of DG technologies. Finally, they will explore constraints imposed by government and opportunities made possible through the use of DG technologies. Collaborative work will lead to creation of new grid-interface concepts, a framework for a business simulation model, and documents detailing methods for fashioning successful models of secure and efficient DG power systems that incorporate technical, business, and policy considerations. The collaborators will also produce an outline for a minor field of study in energy management to incorporate the interdisciplinary approaches advanced in this research.