Microgrids' Role in EV Charging Infrastructure

One of the objectives of charging infrastructure investment is to encourage rapid adoption of EVs by relieving “range” anxiety while reducing GHG emissions. However, EV charging system loads create challenges to electricity grids.

Executive Director of PSTO, California ISO Hani Alarian, will lead a presentation that will explore possible solutions to help reduce the negative grid impacts caused by EV and EV charging at a T&D World Live session in October.

Alarian has over 35 years of experience in the energy industry. He started in the Energy Management System (EMS) industry at Illinois Power in 1985 and became Senior Manager of the EMS in 2001. He inspired, designed, managed, and placed into production the first Complete Open System EMS based on the CIM model, browser-based that won the Computer World Smithsonian award finalist for the year 2000. He left Illinois Power Company in 2003 as Director of Generation Control to work for CAISO as a consultant. In 2009, he accepted a position at CAISO as principal and later that year became the Director of Network Advance Applications; then in 2010, Director of Power System Technology Operations (PSTO). In 2016, as Program Director for Reliability Systems Technology Upgrades (RSTU), he placed the new EMS into production on October 2, 2019. In November 2019 he was promoted to Executive Director.

Alarian said his curiosity and desire to learn and take on a challenge helped his career take off, but he credits one individual for his mentorship, James Fuhrman.

“He always entertained my stupid questions and walked me through it to fully understand decisions I did not agree with,” he said.

Alarian said his favorite part of his job is that he enjoys, “Observing talented, intelligent, bright, and motivated staff grow. I enjoy working with people smarter than me.” He said the most exciting technologies that have happened in the industry in his lifetime are EMS, Computers, Internet, and AI.

Alarian encourages folks to attend the session at T&D World Live, “It is critical in fully implementing a seamless optimized market across transmission and distribution.”

The presentation will cover utilities’ interest in EVs as a manageable electric load in the near term and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) in the longer term. Benefits of utilities working with automakers on managing charging site demand will also be covered. In addition, the link between EV microgrids and FERC Order 2222, which mandates that ISOs offer renewable DER markets allowing smaller DERs bid into the market, will be presented. The presentation will also disclose how EV microgrids can supply needed synthetic inertia, which is declining due to fossil-fuel generator retirements, while providing reliability to the loads behind the microgrid meter.

Alarian said he is especially passionate about the potential of the lowest reliable green electricity for all. He said some of the highlights for the session include, “Tightly coupled integrations with webhosted solutions and implementation of Distribution System Operators in the future.”