Hetero-functional Graph Resilience of the Future American Electric Grid

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the structural resilience of the future American electric grid using hetero-functional graph theory, showing that architectural enhancements improve resilience without compromising sustainability.

Contribution

It introduces a hetero-functional graph approach to evaluate how distributed generation, energy storage, and meshed lines enhance grid resilience.

Findings

Hetero-functional graphs accurately model grid functionality changes.

Adding distributed generation and storage improves resilience.

No trade-off between sustainability and resilience is observed.

Abstract

As climate change takes hold in the 21st century, it places an impetus to decarbonize the American electric power system with renewable energy resources. This paper presents a structural resilience analysis of the American electric power system that incrementally incorporates architectural changes including meshed distribution lines, distributed generation, and energy storage solutions. A hetero-functional graph analysis confirms our formal graph understandings from network science in terms of cumulative degree distributions and traditional attack vulnerability measures. Additionally, The paper shows that hetero-functional graphs more precisely describe the changes in functionality associated with the addition of distributed generation and energy storage. Finally, it demonstrates that the addition of all three types of mitigation measures enhance the grid's structural resilience; even in the presence of disruptive attacks. The paper concludes that there is no structural trade-off between grid sustainability and resilience.