Science & Society Distinguished Public Talks
Progress & Challenges in Transitioning the US to a Renewable Energy-Focused Electrical Grid
by
Jay Johnson, Sandia National Laboratory
Co-sponsored by the Albuquerque Section of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and its Life Members Affinity Group, Sigma Xi (the Scientific Research Society), the UNM Department of Physics & Astronomy, and the UNM Division of Continuing Education.
Meet and Greet at 5
Pizza with the speaker will follow the lecture
Jay Johnson (SNL) is a Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS) and leads a number of multidisciplinary, international renewable energy research projects including the coordination of advanced DER interoperability testing in the United States, Europe, and Asia through the Smart Grid International Research Facility Network (SIRFN). Previously, Mr. Johnson led the US-Japan collaborative research on utility-scale coordinated PV-smoothing controls using a gas genset and battery at the Mesa del Sol Aperture Center and PNM Prosperity Site. Jay also leads a laboratory directed research and development (LDRD) project on Virtual Power Plants to provide ancillary services with distributed energy resources.
Abstract. The national trend toward increasing photovoltaic (PV) penetration is causing a number of challenges for grid operators, including voltage swings on distribution circuits and greater ancillary service demands due to reduced system inertia. However, new PV inverters and other electronics-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) have the ability to solve many of these challenges through grid-support functions. This talk with focus on techniques using new interoperable DERs to support grid operations, and how these technologies can be deployed in the U.S. in order to the highest conversion efficiencies.