Scaling of Building Transactive Control and Coordination to Support Grid Operations

Lead Performer: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Richland, Washington
Partners:
-- Washington State University – Pullman, WA
-- Case Western State University – Cleveland, OH
-- University of Toledo – Toledo, OH
-- National Grid – Washington, DC
DOE Total Funding: $3.3 million
FY19 DOE Funding: $1,250,000
Project Term: October 1, 2018 – September 30, 2021
Funding Type: Lab Call

Project Objective

This project will develop and demonstrate an open-source, scalable, transactive control system (hardware and software) that enables both existing and new buildings to provide grid services without decreasing utility. It addresses a key gap that must be overcome to enable buildings to cost-effectively provide grid services at the necessary scale to be impactful. Current building control systems are unable to execute the transactive control and coordination strategies necessary to provide grid services. Further, one-off custom solutions are not cost-effective. Scalable, open-source solutions, as are being developed through this project, are needed to enable these approaches to be readily adopted. The team will implement an automated agent-based control method for prioritizing controllable end-use loads for peak load management, dynamic load shaping and transactive control. Demonstration will be achieved by forming a multi-campus network using a layered transactive control and coordination approach that is tailored for low-cost embedded computers. The project will result in a published template for replication of transactive control and coordination of flexible building loads at scale.

Project Impact

Through publication of the control methodology and open-source code that has been demonstrated at a campus level with project partners, this project supports increased integration of renewables at both local and regional scales without impacting grid reliability. By proving the feasibility of using transactive control and coordination across a large numbers of buildings, and providing a template for replication, this project will accelerate industry adoption.

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Erika Gupta
Lead Performer: Srinivas Katipamula, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory