Grid Services by Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources: NY State Grid Case Study

TL;DR

This case study demonstrates that behind-the-meter distributed energy resources can effectively provide grid stability and frequency regulation services in New York State's evolving renewable-heavy power system.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive real-time simulation framework showing how BTM DERs can support grid stability and regulation in a high-renewable context.

Findings

DERs with frequency-watt droop help maintain grid stability

BTM DERs can deliver frequency regulation comparable to utility-scale generators

The study validates the use of MQTT for real-time DER control communication

Abstract

This paper presents a case study for utilizing behind-the-meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide grid services when controlled by a DER Management System (DERMS). The testbed consists of a 5,000 buses transient-stability (TS) real-time (RT) model, two 9,500 buses distribution feeders from local utilities modeled in a distribution system simulator (DSS), and hundreds of DERs. MQTT communication protocol is utilized to interface the models in RT. Two main studies are carried. In the first, it is found that DERs with frequency-watt droop response can help maintaining stability in the future NYS grid in which thermal synchronous generators have been substituted by renewable energy resources. In the second, results demonstrate that BTM DERs can provide similar level of frequency regulation services expected from large utility-scale generation.