POWER May 2016 - 36

DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES
4. Innovative frequency regulation.
Ontario-based Temporal Power supplied
the flywheel technology used in an energy storage
facility designed to provide +/-2 MW of
frequency regulation for the IESO. One of the
flywheel assemblies, which utilize an all-steel
rotor and magnetic bearings, is being rigged
into place in this picture. Courtesy: IESO
pecially when it comes to forecasting demand
in real time. In 2011, the IESO, through its
renewable integration initiative, implemented
new processes for direct telemetry and reporting
to increase visibility and integrate resources
into its near-term forecasts. But that
only applied to large-scale generators (5 MW
and greater), so the hourly operations of most
DERs are still unknown to the IESO.
On the technological front, the IESO has
observed both new technologies and new
contexts for using existing technologies to
better manage and integrate the growing
DER segment. For example, it has found
that technologies offering specific benefits
for DER integration include smart inverters,
microgrid controllers, advanced distribution
management systems, and energy storage
technology.
In 2012, feeling that quick frequency regto
expand renewable energy generation, encourage
energy conservation, and promote
the creation of clean energy jobs, but it also
paved the way for Ontario's feed-in-tariff
(FIT) program. The FIT program allows homeowners,
communities, business owners,
and private developers to generate renewable
energy and sell it to the province at a guaranteed
price for a fixed contract term.
The Independent Electricity System Operator
(IESO)-Ontario's ISO-administers
the FIT program, which has been very successful
in spurring DER growth in the region.
In fact, Ontario is second only to California
in terms of solar penetration at the distribution
level (Figure 3). More than 3,200 distribution-connected
FIT contracts have been
executed, totaling more than 1,900 MW of
contracted capacity since the program was
launched.
The FIT program is designed for renewable
energy projects with capacities between
10 kW and 500 kW. A more streamlined
version-called microFIT-is available for
projects smaller than 10 kW. Another 2,100
contracts and 187 MW have been added as a
result of that program. The IESO is expecting
another 3,500 MW of distribution-connected
wind and solar by 2020.
An IESO representative told POWER that,
in aggregate, the DERs are starting to have a
material impact on the bulk power system, es36
ulation
response was becoming increasingly
important due in part to the variable output
of DERs, the IESO began a project designed
to evaluate the ability of alternative technologies
to provide frequency regulation service.
Three different technologies-battery energy
storage, flywheel energy storage (Figure 4),
and load aggregation assets-were selected
for testing on its system so that the IESO
could gain a better understanding of the benefits
of each.
" Real-time, real-world experience with
new sources of regulation will allow us to
see how non-traditional resources behave, "
Paul Murphy, then-president and CEO of the
PJM and AESO: The Big and Small
of It
Because PJM Interconnection is one of the
largest ISOs/RTOs, it's probably not surprising
that the current mixture of DERs
in its footprint has little to no effect on
its system. At the other end of the spectrum,
the Alberta Electric System Operator
(AESO)-the smallest ISO in terms of
customers served-has very little DER
capacity installed on its system, so it too
has seen no significant effect. But both see
growth and are taking proactive steps to
get ready for more DERs.
AESO has focused its effort on distribution
facility owners. It has engaged with them
to get a better understanding of their needs
and requirements. Like other ISOs, AESO is
also working on ways to get better visibility
of the resources.
PJM has concentrated on improving systems
and developing tools to more effectively
deal with DERs. Some examples include the
development of a generation attribute tracking
system and a dispatch integrative map
application. PJM has also modified load
forecasting methodology, worked with IEEE
to develop smart inverter standards, and participated
on a NERC variable generation integration
task force.
Educating stakeholders has also been
a PJM priority. That effort is designed
to more widely communicate generation
resource rules; demand response rules;
PJM market rules and regulations for
An IESO representative told POWER that, in
aggregate, the DERs are starting to have a
material impact on the bulk power system,
especially when it comes to forecasting demand
in real time.
IESO, said following vendor selection. " Engaging
and empowering new participants will
provide much needed flexibility in the way
we run the power system, which is important
in the context of our changing supply mix. "
All three systems have now been commissioned
and are currently providing the contracted
regulation service. In November, the
IESO entered phase two of its procurement
plan by issuing contracts for nine more energy
storage projects totaling 16.75 MW.
www.powermag.com
interconnection and wholesale market
participation; potential changes to PJM
interconnection queue rules; and potential
rules changes for DERs.
In general, all of the ISOs and RTOs see
the writing on the wall. DERs are growing,
and there is little likelihood of that changing
in the near future. For that reason, they are all
working on initiatives to effectively deal with
these new resources. ■
-Aaron Larson is a POWER associate editor.
POWER | May 2016
http://www.powermag.com
POWER May 2016

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