Flexibility

What is Grid Flexibility?

A flexible grid can quickly adapt to make sure power generation meets power demand, even when grid operators don’t necessarily know how much power is being produced and consumed at a given moment.  With flexibility, grid operators can monitor and control distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar arrays, batteries, smart thermostats, microgrids and EVs, to help power the grid and manage demand. 

 

Why is it important to New York State?

Building grid flexibility is an important step in decarbonizing and democratizing the grid and is key to ensuring New York’s grid can integrate renewable sources of generation and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. A flexible grid provides opportunities to New Yorkers who own DERs to be compensated for the services their devices provide to the grid. It requires deployment of new technologies to help grid operators maintain situational awareness and communicate with the resources they can call on to maintain balance. 

 

How is Grid CONNECT advancing Flexibility?

Grid CONNECT is exploring the technologies and strategies needed to orchestrate a growing fleet of DERs. This includes Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) and strategies to enhance the interoperability of DERs with utility field and enterprise systems. 

 

How can I get involved?

Do you have an idea for how New York can better integrate DERs to promote grid flexibility? Post it on Grid CONNECT’s Idea Exchange! You will have to register an account to create a post, but all ideas are publicly visible.