Let’s distill the information about Renewable-Aware Operations (RAO) and its significance:

Renewable-Aware Operations (RAO): This term refers to strategies and practices that consider the impact of renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) on utility operations. RAO aims to optimize the integration of renewables into the grid, ultimately benefitting the environment, economy, and grid reliability.

Why is RAO important?

• Growing Renewable Installations: In the past, we benefitted from renewable energy sources like hydropower and nuclear for baseload power. However, nowadays, inverter-based resources (IBR), such as solar panels and wind turbines, are being installed in both transmission and distribution systems, changing the dynamics of energy flow.
• Renewable Expansion Drivers: The rapid growth is driven by several factors, including falling costs, technological advances, policy support, public awareness, and climate change concerns
• Distribution Variety: While transmission installations are large but few in number, distribution installations are smaller but more numerous. They range from grid-scale to Behind-The-Meter (BTM) setups. BTM meters are often owned by third parties with conflicting motivations, adding complexity. While the transition to new energy sources like hydrogen and small modular reactors is expected in the long term, IBR renewables currently serve as the primary feasible carbon-free energy source in the short term.
• EVs in Distribution: The proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) in the distribution network is a significant development. Residential EVs, fleets, and workplace chargers all impact the grid, adding a new layer of complexity to grid management.
• Grid Planning and Operations: EV fleets can significantly affect grid planning and operations, especially if they move beyond simple charging to Vehicle-to-Grid (V2X). Since charging isn’t constant or static, with IBRs, the load is mobile and difficult to forecast.
• Electrification Pressure is Growing: The increasing shift away from natural gas further stresses the electricity system, causing new behavior patterns in consumption. This growing electrification pressure underscores the need for a resilient and adaptable electricity system.
• Dramatic Load Growth: The growth of electricity load has been faster than expected, driven by several factors such as new manufacturing and industry, data centers, electrification and hydrogen production, severe weather events and grid challenges.

Who cares? Everyone should! Understanding and adapting to RAO principles benefits utilities, regulators, and consumers.

What T&D business functions are impacted by renewable energy integration?

Spoiler alert! They all are…

• Integrated Resource Planning (IRP): IRP focuses on anticipating and planning for the accelerating influx of energy from IBRs over the next 20 years. It shapes energy supply decisions.
• T&D Delivery Planning: This involves both long-term and short-term planning, considering IRP expectations and forecasted load changes. Grid enhancements and IBR interconnection requests are crucial in this process, impacting both supply and delivery. These initiatives can address various challenges, such as leveraging customer solutions to minimize infrastructure costs and fostering positive workforce implications by developing new skills and knowledge.
• Implementation and Installation: Design and implementation must account for IBR resources. Due to two-way power flow, communication needs and protection/control approaches become complex.
• Operations: Real-time grid operation considers weather-related IBR outputs, congestion, voltage, and power quality. The dynamic grid situation varies by time, day, season, and weather. Operations become further complicated when controlling assets with multiple use cases and stacked benefits associated with them, forcing the operators to decide which use case gets precedence over the others at any particular time.
• Work and Resource Management: With the influx of IBRs, coordinating planned and unplanned work becomes more complex, necessitating additional safety precautions. Field personnel require specialized skills and knowledge to install and maintain these devices effectively. Integrating renewables requires grid upgrades, smart technologies, and ongoing IT/OT and cybersecurity advancements. Utility personnel must learn how to manage variable energy production, balance loads and ensure grid reliability in the evolving energy landscape.

Here’s a simplified look at how T&D utilities plan and operate. The reality is extremely complex, as it requires keeping all stakeholders informed and successfully running the utility’s core business.  

For more information, stay tuned for Dr. Vadari’s next eBook,  “Revamping T&D Utilities: The Era of Renewable-Aware Operations.”