The future of Advanced Distribution Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) pulls on software integration with the SMART Grid and Application Development, Maintenance, and Support (ADMS). This allows transportation systems, off-grid consumers, and Grid platforms to connect to a central DERMS decision. While DERMS is touted as a Clean Energy development (known for adding solar homes to SMART Energy Grid use), traditional Energy resources also add to a DERMS arrangement. A DERMS evens Grid Power Load coverage, alerts to Energy System imbalances, and routes power coverage during emergencies. These functions add a palatable effect on Power Load Bearing Prices. DERMS's plans for expansion include adding electric transportation and incorporating all Energy Resources. Adding ADMS to DERMS, stabilizing Power Load-Bearing Prices for on- and off-grid consumers and utilities, and integrating traditional Energy Resources and Clean Energy through the DERs and SMART Energy Grid, pave the way for the Energy Community’s use of DERMS to maximize efficiencies and remain secure.
Advanced DERMS adds an ADMS by connecting a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to the Distributed Energy Resource (DER) and the ADMS interfaces between the SCADA and the DERMS consumer. SCADA provides control and monitoring of industrial processes through a software and hardware system. An ADMS requires an interested intelligence involvement in continually monitoring and troubleshooting the DERMS operational status. Currently a human positioning, the ADMS can involve Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the operative value. While a static SCADA uses data feeds to the DER, administering an active ADMS provides a responsive, reactive, and efficient layer to the Advanced DERMS, creating a positive DERMS environment capable of tailored consumer and Energy resource pairings, increasing DERMS application variability. The evolution of Advanced DERMS is a future of ADMS decisive integration. Software, hardware, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and people form a combination of tools and implementation required to lift ADMSs into crucial positions forming Advanced DERMS builds. Advanced DERMS with ADMS is the key to opening DERMS systems-wide integrations.
Power Load-Bearing Prices stabilize through the use of a DERMS. This stabilization affects on- and off-Grid Energy consumers and utilities by supplying efficient, even distribution of power flow, adding reliability to customer-owned generation and load, and integrating voltage differences. Power flow distribution is managed for multiple consumers in a DERMS and incorporates home electricity use, appliance monitoring, and wiring SMART home system load-bearing reporting inclusion. On the utility end of a DERMS, SMART Energy Grid analysis regulates and directs the user demands and fluctuations of the power flow supply ensuring an even power supply for the Energy consumer. Because of even power distribution, disruptions such as power surges or electricity failures for overdraws are avoided. This protects SMART home electric systems and appliances from costly repairs. An integrated DERMS provides access to an off-Grid consumer’s supply and demand requirements through a DER adding a load-bearing standardization effect upon which Energy Resource pricing can compete. Off-Grid consumers often operate Clean Energy. DER/DERMS application standardization cuts the cost of individually tailored Clean Energy system installations and supports these systems during power emergencies such as Energy depletion or equipment malfunctions. Different electricity resources produce different voltage measurements affecting the utility side of DERMS. Due to this, an Energy Grid operating more than one power source faces the challenge of integrating different voltages from incoming load-bearing electricity production into a seamless outgoing power level fit for consumer use. DERMS controls the voltage assumption and distribution, using different DERs before electric current use production. The DER/DERMS integration cuts down on Energy Grid and resource voltage incompatibilities creating an across the board load-bearing best-rates utility value for the equalization of Energy resourcing costs. DERMS additions to DERs, the SMART Energy Grid, and Energy consumers SMART home systems produce cost cuts for power load-bearing beneficial to both the Energy Consumer and the utilities producing electricity.
When DERMS are mentioned, Clean Energy, (especially Solar Power), is the immediate assumption of the application. Incorporating traditional Energy Resources into DERMS produces a value for emergency power distribution requirements, efficient power consumption, and Energy consumer cost reduction. DERMS enhances the reliability and satisfaction of SMART Energy Grid regulatory mandates and improves traditional Energy Resource utilities’ unplanned outage responses or potential problem-resolution capabilities. DERMS accurately pinpoints trouble sources and includes fleet-level communications for faster emergency response times. Energy consumers rely on DERMS for traditional Grid Energy Resource value and DER fed Clean Energy Resource power. DERMS preserves Energy efficiencies by controlling consumer consumption through voltage intermittency reduction and load-bearing calculated conduction. Wholesale Energy market participation includes traditional Energy Resources, and Clean Energy, stored energy sales. Unused traditional Energy re-sold to Energy retailers is also a wholesale market move. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 2222 “...requires all (Real Time Operations)/ (Internal Standards Operations) RTOs/ISOs to remove barriers to wholesale market participation by aggregated distributed energy resources (DERs).” (1) This Wholesale Energy market participation available to traditional Energy Resource and Clean Energy consumers through DERMS improves Energy use costs. While Clean Energy dominates the DERMS discussions, traditional Energy Resources integrate into a DERMS through the SMART Energy Grid. A DER/DERMS future combines Clean Energy and traditional Energy Resources with the assumption of the SMART Energy Grid.
SCADA and ADMS in Advanced DERMS, stabilizing Power Load-Bearing Prices using DERMS, and updating DER/DERMS to incorporate Clean Energy and traditional Energy Resources including the SMART Energy Grid fulfill the potential created in the modern Energy System components available to generate efficient, resilient, and cost-effective electricity. Utilities and consumers benefit from the implementation of Advanced DERMS as an active, not static, system increasing the application of Energy variability. DERMS's contribution to the stabilization of power flow, and utility efficiencies related to resource aggregation (traditional Energy Resources through the SMART Energy Grid and DER/DERMS for Clean Energy), allows cost-effective load-bearing electricity production and consumer use. Reliability and regulatory standard compliance are satisfied through DER/DERMS integration into every sustainable Energy System. DERMS are evolving, but they are not in the future. DERMS have already arrived in the Energy Community. The value of DERMS integration is apparent. As DER/DERMS compatibilities with the SMART Energy Grid and AI developments continue to adapt with software and hardware builds, there is one thing to keep in mind. DERMS is a path of coming together, not a disruptive addition to Energy’s progress. Learning and growing with DERMS, both as consumers and utility Energy providers, will enhance the Energy Community adding benefits where DERMS operates, and to the Energy System experience.
Resources:
1. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, “Participation of Distributed Energy Resource Aggregations in Markets Operated by Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators”; 18 CFR Part 35 [Docket No. RM18-9-000; Order No. 2222]; (Issued September 17, 2020)