Argonne to lead 8 DOE Grid Modernization Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory will receive about $19 million in funding and will lead eight projects as part of the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium (GMLC) announced by DOE. Argonne will participate as a partner in 23 other GMLC projects.
DOE announced that it plans to award up to $220 million over three years, subject to congressional appropriations, to DOE's national laboratories and partners to support critical research and development in advanced storage systems, clean energy integration, standards and test procedures, and a number of other key grid modernization areas.
"Modernizing the U.S. electrical grid is essential to reducing carbon emissions, creating safeguards against attacks on our infrastructure, and keeping the lights on," said Secretary Moniz. "Our Quadrennial Energy Review and Quadrennial Technology Review identified needs and opportunities to invest in the grid. This public-private partnership between our National Laboratories, industry, academia, and state and local government agencies will help us further strengthen our ongoing efforts to improve our electrical infrastructure so that it is prepared to respond to the nation's energy needs for decades to come."
The Grid Modernization Initiative represents a comprehensive DOE effort to help shape the future of our nation's grid and solve the challenges of integrating conventional and renewable sources with energy storage and smart buildings, while ensuring that the grid is resilient and secure to withstand growing cyber security and climate challenges. Today's announcements fall under the Grid Modernization Initiative's framework.
"Argonne researchers are pleased to bring their long history and expertise in power grid research and development to this concerted effort to modernize the nation's aging grid," said Argonne Director Peter B. Littlewood, who has provided Senate testimony on the importance of the future grid. "This is a massive and essential effort, and partnering with industry will enable Argonne and our sister DOE national laboratories to methodically address and achieve each of the goals outlined in the DOE's new grid modernization plan."
The GMLC initiative represents a truly new way of organizing capabilities across DOE to address a complex challenge, said Guenter Conzelmann, Director of Argonne's Center for Energy, Environmental, and Economic Systems Analysis. "This initiative gives us an opportunity to make a difference and help move the nation's grid into the 21st century," Conzelmann said. "Our scientists will make critical contributions from foundational research in grid architecture, interoperability, sensing and measurement, advanced mathematical algorithms, and grid service valuation to developing new innovative tools for grid planning and operations. We are excited to work with the GMLC and our project partners at other labs and in industry and academia on these key strategic grid research topics."
Some of Argonne's projects will address issues with integrating large shares of solar and wind power into the grid and identify solutions to operating cost-effective and reliable electricity markets with large penetration of renewables, Conzelmann said. Other awards will allow Argonne to expand on and advance existing lab research and lab-developed technologies that will have a direct impact on the reliability and resilience of our grid.
For example, Argonne research will build upon a grid modelling, simulation, analysis and visualization tool called TS3ph to help utility planners more thoroughly understand cascading grid failures that may lead to large blackouts. Under a complementary project, researchers will develop a tool that will help utilities prepare for major disasters by improving and speeding up the power restoration after events such as winter storms or hurricanes.
