Capture Interconnection information for Distributed Energy Resource Controllable Assets

Utilities typically engage authorized third-party agencies to facilitate the grid connectivity of generation Distributed Energy Resource  (DER) assets, which is managed via the grid interconnection process. Interconnection details define the specific DER settings for a particular customer based on the contractual agreement with the utility. This feature allows the application to receive the interconnection attributes of a DER asset from an external system that handles the interconnection process for the utility. The application provides a new REST API that can be invoked to pass the interconnection attributes. The incoming data is validated across existing asset manufacturer and model combination, leading to the creation of an interconnection service task to allow the initial creation of the DER asset.

While nameplate attributes are mapped to the asset via its specifications, this feature facilitates the capturing of interconnection details at an asset attribute level via characteristic types. This also introduces an update to the DER Registration REST API and its processing, where a new processing flag at the asset type determines whether the DER asset requires interconnection followed by registration or just registration. For instance, assets that enable load reduction like smart thermostats do not require a grid interconnection, whereas assets capable of feeding energy back to the grid like solar panels or energy storages need to be interconnected prior to being controlled via a program. During registration of assets, that need to be interconnected the application validates that the asset has already been created and the interconnection is completed. The outbound asset sync message in such scenarios include the interconnection attributes in addition to the nameplate attributes.

This provides the ability to record the interconnection details of a grid-connected DER asset which could be used for analyzing DER penetration, validating DER registrations, program enrollments and load forecasting.

Steps to Enable

You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.

Tips And Considerations

• This feature introduces new Request Task Type and Request Task business objects for DER Interconnection. Users require access to the following application services to initiate and complete the DER interconnection process:
  • X1-DINRTTBOAS (DER Interconnection Req Task Type BO)    
  • X1-DINRTBOAS (DER Interconnection Request Task BO)    
• The DER Processing Flag (in the Asset Type) is now required during DER Registration. 
  • If Interconnection is required, set the flag to Interconnection and Registration. 
  • Otherwise, set the flag to Registration Only.