Transmission & Alternatives Analysis And Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

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Transmission and Alternatives: NREL will work with the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and others on targeted analyses of the Western Interconnection to (1) analyze the large-scale stability and frequency response of the Western Interconnection with high levels of solar penetration, and develop means to maintain reliability, (2) develop and validate solar plant models for cycle-by-cycle analysis, and subsequently for stability analysis, (3) demonstrate advance control capability on a utility-scale PV plant as an alternative mitigation means, and (4) ensure Western Interconnection stakeholder input to the analyses and action on the recommendations. Within three years, the overall reliability of the power system with high levels of solar generation will be demonstrated. Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Achieving large-scale adoption of solar energy will require not only cost reductions in solar technologies but also a favorable environment for interconnecting and operating solar power plants. Realizing economies of scale and high volumes will be difficult if solar penetrations are limited because of reliability, interconnection, or operational rules and requirements. It is therefore essential that the SunShot Initiative engage the regulators, policymakers, utilities, and organizations that establish reliability and operational rules. Policymakers need to know whether high penetrations of solar are technically feasible. Regulators need to understand the reliability and balancing impacts of solar. Utilities need tools and data to study high solar penetrations on their power systems. This Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Proposal communicates the tools, methods, and results from the Operational Analysis Models and Tools Improvement, Solar Integration Dataset Toolkit, and Transmission and Alternatives Analyses proposals to targeted stakeholders.

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