Systems integration research in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) supports technologies and solutions that enable solar grid integration while ensuring the reliability, resilience, and security of the electric power system. These research, development, and demonstration activities address the key technical challenges in power system planning and operations, solar forecasting and variability management, control optimization, system protection and stabilities, energy storage integration, power electronics, real-time situational awareness, and cybersecurity. In addition, SETO supports the development of industry standards and best practices on interconnection requirements, testing, and validation for solar systems on the bulk power grid as well as the distribution grid. Learn more about how solar energy integrates with our nation’s electric grid.
In September 2021, DOE released the Solar Futures Study, a report that explores the role of solar energy in achieving these goals as part of a decarbonized U.S. electric grid. Learn more about SETO’s goals.
Within SETO’s systems integration research area, efforts are focused on several topics. Learn more about them below.
Research Topics
-
A resilient distribution system utilizes local resources such as customer-owned solar PV and battery storage to quickly reconfigure power flows.June 22, 2023 -
Long-term system planning refers to the activities conducted regularly by utilities to inform investment decisions on generation and transmission.March 20, 2024
-
This research refers to the ability of utilities to have real-time information about the amount of solar generation at any given moment. -
Power electronic devices, such as photovoltaic inverters and battery chargers or dischargers, are used to convert electricity from one form to another.
-
Solar cybersecurity addresses vulnerabilities in the grid that hackers can exploit to ensure the safe and consistent delivery of renewable power.September 13, 2023
SETO funding for systems integration research helps to develop new opportunities for solar to not only supply electricity generation, but also provide grid services and real-time control responses that are essential for safe and reliable grid operations, and can even help to restart segments of the distribution system if the grid goes down. Projects in this research area are managed by the systems integration team. Learn more about SETO’s funding programs and current funding opportunities. Reports resulting from research projects can be found on the Office of Science and Technical Information (OSTI) website.
Systems Integration Initiatives
- Securing Solar for the Grid (S2G)
- UNIFI Consortium
- Essential Grid Reliability Standards for Inverter-Based Resources
Systems Integration Basics
Workshops & Events
Industry workshops help SETO obtain a wide range of stakeholder feedback to guide our mission. Learn more about the workshops that have identified barriers and opportunities to greater solar deployment.
- 2023: Power Electronics Grid Interface Industry Workshop
- 2023: Securing Solar for the Grid Workshop (PDF)
- 2023: Secure Monitoring and Control of Solar Power Distribution System Through Dynamic Watermarking (PDF)
- 2023: Recent Advancements in Experiments and Modeling of Grid-Forming Systems (PDF)
- 2023: Mechanism Analysis of Dynamic Phenomena in Power Grids with High Penetrations of Inverter-Based Resources (PDF)
- 2022: Cybersecurity Considerations for Distributed Energy Resources on the U.S. Electric Grid Briefing
- 2022: Addressing Solar Data Challenges for Utilities and Power Systems
Systems Integration Success Stories
-
The @DisCo software helps utilities and solar manufacturers prevent cybersecurity and ransomware attacks affecting the U.S. electric grid. The software identifies cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the firmware of devices like solar inverters. -
Microgrids are small electric grids that can operate while disconnected from the main grid. Learn how a new tool that networks multiple microgrids with solar-plus-storage together can lead to community resilience. -
With a $5 million award from SETO, Siemens develop a three-layer energy management system for microgrids that helps secure both microgrids and the larger electric grid against physical threats and cyberattacks. -
Texas grid operator ERCOT was able to integrate more solar power into its Texas grid, improve grid reliability & more using technology developed by @NREL and @MaxarTechnologies with $1.7M in SETO funding.