If you work with utility-scale or community solar PV, you may have heard the utility refer to the term “power flow study”, also called “load flow study”, and wonder what that is. Utility distribution feeders are designed and operated at Read more…
As increasing amounts of solar PV connect to electric distribution systems, in the forms of utility-scale solar PV and behind-the-meter solar PV, a critical question that many in the industry have is “How Much Solar PV Can a Feeder Host?” Read more…
The latest revision of IEEE 1547TM-2018 – IEEE Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Interfaces turns five years old this year. Many Solar PV developers and engineers that are just entering the industry Read more…
Interconnection standards for DER (Distributed Energy Resources) connecting to utility transmission and distribution systems have evolved and will continue to change in the coming decades. DER includes IBR (inverter-based resources), such as solar PV, battery energy storage, and V2G (vehicle-to-grid), Read more…
An incident occurred in central North Carolina on Saturday night, December 3, about 45 minutes from where I live, in which equipment in two substations was made inoperable by gunfire. The result was approximately 40,000 customers without power. As of Read more…
IEEE 1547-2018, IEEE Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces, is the standard for interconnecting all technologies of DER (Distributed Energy Resources), including solar PV and battery storage to distribution systems. The Read more…
The development and publishing of interconnection standards and guides to facilitate the large numbers of grid-connected DER (Distributed Energy Resources) to utility systems in the coming years continues, with a new guide focused on energy storage. On August 5 of Read more…
I ran across an excellent graphic from the folks at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) NREL and SETO. The below is from their Solar Future Study Fact Sheet (2021). In their study they projected the generation mix if the Read more…
For anyone that missed it, on April 22, 2022 (Earth Day) IEEE published a new standard that is important for those dealing with Electric Transmission systems: “IEEE 2800 – 2022: IEEE Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) Read more…
This five-minute video describes “IEEE 1547-2018 – Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces.” For more information on courses offered in Solar PV Interconnection and Utility Distribution Systems, go to HeatSpring.com.