The IEEE Power & Energy Society and the U.S. Department of Energy has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to address grid modernization challenges with a focus on the distribution level.
Formally signed into order by Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, and Patrick Ryan, IEEE PES Executive Director, at the 2016 IEEE PES Transmission & Distribution Conference and Exposition (T&D Expo) in Dallas, Texas on 5 May 2016, the MOU concentrates on both planning and operational challenges that include integrated resource planning and schemes for coordination, control, and information management. IEEE USA, the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), IEEE Smart Grid, and other IEEE societies will join IEEE PES in collaboration on the MOU, which includes four cooperative areas with the DOE: standards, technology, conferences, and education.
Assisting with the implementation and providing technical support for the MOU is the IEEE PES Policy Technical Support Task Force. The goal of the Task Force is to provide support and cooperate with governments and regulatory organizations globally on technical issues, which includes the DOE via the recently signed MOU. The Task Force is planning to expand its cooperative efforts to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), European Energy Commission, and other government agencies.
“IEEE is pleased to, once again, join forces with the DOE and benefit our industry with an unbiased and independent industry perspective and global reach by jointly undertaking the initiatives that will positively affect the way we live in the future,” said Damir Novosel, IEEE PES President and Lead Officer for the DOE cooperation. “IEEE is a valuable resource for government entities invoking positive regulatory and policy changes. This MOU is an example of the role we serve to bring together like-minded communities and agencies to have a helpful impact on the global energy challenges we face today.”
With the support of the DOE in 2003, the IEEE Standards Board approved IEEE 1547™ “Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems” to increase the adoption of distributed resources. “This was a milestone effort for IEEE because it demonstrated and reinforced the open consensus process for standards development, primarily through our work with the DOE,” emphasized Pat Ryan.
According to the MOU, IEEE PES and DOE aim to share technical needs for grid interoperability requirements. This includes collaborating to help identify technological gaps and approaches for addressing them, and individually, developing, disseminating and sharing information on advancements in technology and associated practices for planning, operations, and maintenance.
The MOU with the DOE emphasizes the role of IEEE to work with government entities on energy policy and technology. Following the signing of the MOU, Assistant Secretary Hoffman joined energy industry executives for the IEEE PES T&D Expo CEO Round-table panel, “Balancing Market and Reliability: Roles of ISOs and DSOs, Policy and Regulatory Aspects”—signaling the society's role in unifying industry to collectively pursue progress.
