LESSONS LEARNED FROM DOE SMART PV INVERTER PROGRAM

Smart PV inverters are a key enabling technology for integrating high level of DERs into the electric grid. The U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative has been leading the smart inverter R&D effort since 2011 under the Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems ? Advanced Concepts (SEGIS-AC) program. The objective has been to develop advanced technologies in power electronics, communication protocols, and DER Management System (DERMS) software that enable high penetrations of solar energy onto the grid and provide ancillary services to enhance the grid performance and reliability. Key inverter capabilities (e.g. volt/var, frequency/watt, voltage ride-through, utility controlled islanding) and standard photovoltaic protocols (for SEP2, DNP3, and IEC 61850) have been developed and are being field demonstrated with utility partners at selected feeders. This panel will report system technical designs, deployment, and testing in these demonstrations and overall lessons learned from real-world experience. The panel will also report stakeholder engagement activities including California Rule 21 revision and proposed changes to IEEE 1547 standards. Speakers: Brian Seal, EPRI (confirmed) Michael Mills-Price, Advanced Energy (confirmed) Haukur (Hawk) Asgeirsson, DTE (invited) Sig Gonzales, Sandia National Lab (invited) Samer Arafa, Solectria Renewables, LLC (invited)