Electric infrastructure systems research and development at NREL is focused on:
- Renewable energy integration
- Distributed energy testing and certification
- Interconnection standards and codes
- Interconnection and control technology
- Energy management and grid support applications
- Distributed energy regulatory and institutional issues
- Smart Grid research.
The U.S. electric power system is undergoing significant changes in how utilities produce and deliver power to customers. Reduced costs and new requirements are increasing the amount of variable renewable energy that is being integrated into the power system. Smart Grid technologies that add communications and control to the grid are also changing the way the electric power system operates.
The teams in NREL's Electricity, Resources, and Building Systems Integration Center work with industry, academia, other national laboratories, and various standards organizations to accomplish this important research.
NREL's electric infrastructure systems research supports the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Program, Wind Program, and Office of Electric Delivery and Energy Reliability.
