Product Abstract

This report provides a collection of use-case abstracts with potential relation to widespread photovoltaic integration. The collection process focused specifically on applications that drive or are enabled by communications between the utility and the devices in the field.

These abstracts are categorized and presented in tabular format with the sources of the information identified. In cases in which a single use case covered a broad set of scenarios, each applicable part was captured.

Objective

The objective of this collection is to provide a concise view of how utilities envision integrating PV systems. Although many utilities have ideas about how this will be done, few have committed those ideas to paper, and still fewer are able to share their works.

Approach

For this report, use cases were collected—not developed. The sources of these use cases were limited to utilities and utility-oriented organizations. In any data collection process, there is no end. Therefore, this information is presented not as a complete data set but as a representative sample.

Results

In total, 81 items were identified. These were loosely sorted into seven categories:

• Pre-deployment planning and commissioning
• PV system dispatch/control
• Metering/monitoring
• Energy storage
• Applications
• Energy market participation
• Maintenance

Application, Value and Use

Going forward, it is desired that this list be extended as more information becomes available and clarified as field deployments make more detailed information available. Utilities may use this information to glean ideas for their own photovoltaic (PV) integration programs and identify contacts at other utilities for specific areas of interest.

EPRI Perspective

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) offers these collected use cases without advocation or criticism of any particular application. Although it is believed that high-penetration levels of distributed generation will mandate two-way communication in the future, the details of how the systems and programs will work are still being explored.