Americans' safety, productivity, comfort, and convenience depend on the reliable supply of electric power. The electric power system is a complex "cyber-physical" system composed of a network of millions of components spread out across the continent. These components are owned, operated, and regulated by thousands of different entities. Power system operators work hard to assure safe and reliable service, but large outages occasionally happen. Given the nature of the system, there is simply no way that outages can be completely avoided, no matter how much time and money is devoted to such an effort. The system's reliability and resilience can be improved but never made perfect. Thus, system owners, operators, and regulators must prioritize their investments based on potential benefits. Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation's Electricity System focuses on identifying, developing, and implementing strategies to increase the power system's resilience in the face of events that can cause large-area, long-duration outages: blackouts that extend over multiple service areas and last several days or longer. Resilience is not just about lessening the likelihood that these outages will occur. It is also about limiting the scope and impact of outages when they do occur, restoring power rapidly afterwards, and learning from these experiences to better deal with events in the future.

Electrical grids worldwide are experiencing major changes in terms of energy generation, transmission, delivery, and distribution in order to enhance the entire system’s control, reliability, efficiency, and safety. Advanced energy systems and technologies such as renewable sources of energy, energy storage systems, and electric vehicles (EVs) as well as equipment such as sensors, smart meters, and communication devices along with innovations in computing technologies, machine learning, and data analytics are used to modernize the electric grid and the way it is planned, operated, and managed. This book provides an overview of several aspects of grid modernization including micro-grids, smart grids, energy storage, and communication systems.

There’s probably a good chance that you’ve turned on your television, computer, or an appliance without giving much thought about the electric grid. But when there’s a power outage, it’s a different story. Suddenly, you’re asking yourself questions such as: What is the electric grid and who owns it? Who controls the grid and how is it controlled? What causes a grid blackout? What is the future of the grid? William L. Thompson, who retired from Dominion Virginia Power after thirty-eight years in the electric business, answers those questions and many more in this book for anyone curious about the electric grid and how it works. In plain, simple language, he reveals what goes on behind the scenes at grid control centers across the country. He also explains how electricity is generated through renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. He also examines the causes behind the largest blackout in United States history and how global warming and technological developments could permanently change Living on the Grid.

This book presents theoretical, technical, and practical information on the modernization of future energy networks. All the basic requirements covering concepts, modeling, optimizing, and analyzing of future energy grids with various energy carriers such as electricity, gas, heat, and water, as well as their markets and contracts, are explained in detail. The main focus of the book is on modernizing both the energy consumers and the energy producers and analyzing various aspects of grid modernization such as reliability, resiliency, stability, and security. Coverage includes advanced communication protocols and solution methods for the Internet of Energy (IoE) infrastructure and energy trading in future energy grids with high/full share of renewable energy resources (RERs) within the transactive energy (TE) paradigm. Probabilistic modeling and optimizing of modern grids will be evaluated using realistic case studies considering the economic aspects of multi-carrier energy markets. This book will be welcomed as an important resource by researchers and postgraduate students studying energy systems, as well as practicing engineers working on modernizing energy grids and the design, planning, scheduling, and operation of smart power systems. Proposes practical solutions for solving the challenges of modern multi-carrier energy grids; Examines various types of energy storage systems and distributed energy resources (DERs) with an emphasis on renewable energy resources (RERs); Provides comprehensive mathematical models for optimizing of future modern multi-carrier energy grids.

Blockchain-Based Smart Grids presents emerging applications of blockchain in electrical system and looks to future developments in the use of blockchain technology in the energy market. Rapid growth of renewable energy resources in power systems and significant developments in the telecommunication systems has resulted in new market designs being employed to cover unpredictable and distributed generation of electricity. This book considers the marriage of blockchain and grid modernization, and discusses the transaction shifts in smart grids, from centralized to peer-to-peer structures. In addition, it addresses the effective application of these structures to speed up processes, resulting in more flexible electricity systems. Aimed at moving towards blockchain-based smart grids with renewable applications, this book is useful to researchers and practitioners in all sectors of smart grids, including renewable energy providers, manufacturers and professionals involved in electricity generation from renewable sources, grid modernization and smart grid applications.

Electricity, supplied reliably and affordably, is foundational to the U.S. economy and is utterly indispensable to modern society. However, emissions resulting from many forms of electricity generation create environmental risks that could have significant negative economic, security, and human health consequences. Large-scale installation of cleaner power generation has been generally hampered because greener technologies are more expensive than the technologies that currently produce most of our power. Rather than trade affordability and reliability for low emissions, is there a way to balance all three? The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment of Increasingly Clean Energy Technologies considers how to speed up innovations that would dramatically improve the performance and lower the cost of currently available technologies while also developing new advanced cleaner energy technologies. According to this report, there is an opportunity for the United States to continue to lead in the pursuit of increasingly clean, more efficient electricity through innovation in advanced technologies. The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment of Increasingly Clean Energy Technologies makes the case that America's advantagesâ€"world-class universities and national laboratories, a vibrant private sector, and innovative states, cities, and regions that are free to experiment with a variety of public policy approachesâ€"position the United States to create and lead a new clean energy revolution. This study focuses on five paths to accelerate the market adoption of increasing clean energy and efficiency technologies: (1) expanding the portfolio of cleaner energy technology options; (2) leveraging the advantages of energy efficiency; (3) facilitating the development of increasing clean technologies, including renewables, nuclear, and cleaner fossil; (4) improving the existing technologies, systems, and infrastructure; and (5) leveling the playing field for cleaner energy technologies. The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment of Increasingly Clean Energy Technologies is a call for leadership to transform the United States energy sector in order to both mitigate the risks of greenhouse gas and other pollutants and to spur future economic growth. This study's focus on science, technology, and economic policy makes it a valuable resource to guide support that produces innovation to meet energy challenges now and for the future.

A nation unprepared : surviving the aftermath of a blackout where tens of millions of people over several states are affected.

Written by a leading expert in the utility field, this practical resource guides professionals in the evolution of the Smart Grid and offers insight into distribution automation, storage, and microgrid. This book highlights the journey to a transformed electric utility, provides solid examples, and includes real-world case studies. Readers find guidance on new energy storage solutions and electric value chain disruptors. Professionals learn how to overcome challenges related to integrating supply and demand diversity. The book highlights how new technologies impact the day-to-day operations of a utility and how these technologies can transform the normal functioning of the utility. Discussions are provided about how a transformed utility can be a springboard to a smart city. Professionals will be able to apply the strategies of technologies in this resource to guide them to success in the field. This book defines the roadmap to the utility of the future and provides a vision for how utilities can thrive in their new environment.

The electric industry is increasingly incorporating IT systems into its operations to improve reliability and efficiency. If these efforts are not implemented securely, the electric grid could become more vulnerable to attacks and loss of services. To address this concern, the NIST and FERC were given responsibility for coordinating the development and adoption of smart grid guidelines and standards. This report: (1) assesses the extent to which NIST has developed smart grid cybersecurity guidelines; (2) evaluates FERC¿s approach for adopting and monitoring smart grid cybersecurity and other standards; and (3) identifies challenges associated with smart grid cybersecurity. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.