DNV GL to Validate ARPA-E ‘Internet of Energy’ Microgrid in Texas

Platform will simultaneously manage market level regulation and distribution system support functions for large-scale integration of renewable generation onto the grid.

DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification, together with its partners, Group NIRE and Geli (Growing Energy Labs, Inc.), will produce and operate an Internet of Energy (IoEn) platform integrating the management of up to 100 distributed energy resources (DER).

The award, DNV GL’s third from ARPA-E, is one of twelve new projects in the Department of Energy’s Network Optimized Distributed Energy Systems (NODES) program announced in December.

The Internet of Energy project will be deployed at Group NIRE’s utility-connected microgrid test facility in Lubbock, Texas, where it will be integrated with local utility monitoring, control and data acquisition systems to demonstrate advanced management of up to 100 disparate distributed energy resources using Geli’s “Internet of Energy” software.

The Internet of Energy platform will simultaneously manage both market level regulation and distribution system support functions to facilitate large-scale integration of renewable generation onto the grid. The platform will demonstrate a novel and scalable approach for the fast registration and automated dispatch of DERs by combining DNV GL’s power system simulation tools and independent third-party validation with Geli’s innovative networking, control, and market balancing software.

“DNV GL’s core role,”said Senior Consultant Michael Kleinberg, ”is to provide greater certainty to power systems planners and grid operators -- who will increasingly be called upon to manage massive volumes of distributed energy assets -- by validating operational performance and emerging economic models within a real-world, utility-connected microgrid.”

“Geli is excited to showcase our software’s advanced capabilities for automated markets and applications; this is in an environment where we can test fast transactions for and aggregation of many energy assets,” said Ryan Wartena, co-founder and CEO of Geli. “What Geli demonstrates with DNV GL and Group NIRE will become commonplace as the energy grid networks an increasing number of distributed energy resources.”

The project will continue adding complexity, inviting participation by multiple makers of dozens of disparate resources and technologies, until it encompasses up to 100 resources. Resources will include load, generation and storage assets such as residential batteries, electric vehicles, controllable HVAC systems, water heaters and LED lighting controls.

"We are excited to test out this energy management system and deploy various DERs at our field site to see how they can be aggregated together to benefit the energy industry," said Mark Harral, CEO of Group NIRE.

The NODES program’s mission is to accelerate technologies that improve efficiency and reliability of the U.S. electrical grid.