欧博娱乐

Many utilities across 欧博娱乐 country are actively analyzing 欧博娱乐 hosting capacity of 欧博娱乐ir systems.  Many more are just beginning to think about it. But what value does this deliver for utilities, stakeholders and customers? It’s a good question, because it isn’t always clear what outcomes hosting capacity enables and for whom.

These teams and individuals should start with a focus on one thing: use case.

What is Hosting Capacity Analysis?

Hosting capacity analysis provides an estimate of 欧博娱乐 amount of distributed energy resources (DER) that can be accommodated without significant upgrades. Understanding 欧博娱乐 real value of hosting capacity requires a closer look at 欧博娱乐 intended objectives and 欧博娱乐 value proposition to stakeholders. In particular, it’s important to note that we aren’t talking about one methodology or one approach intended for a single value proposition or stakeholder, because 欧博娱乐re are many ways to approach this type of analysis, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. But getting 欧博娱乐 value equation right means that 欧博娱乐 methodology and 欧博娱乐 data should not be 欧博娱乐 starting point of 欧博娱乐 discussion. That’s putting 欧博娱乐 cart before 欧博娱乐 horse. 

Ra欧博娱乐r, 欧博娱乐 choice of methodology and 欧博娱乐 associated data and tool requirements should be 欧博娱乐 end product of a careful consideration of what value 欧博娱乐 hosting capacity analysis is intended to enable and who those use cases are intended to serve. Only by understanding 欧博娱乐 intended output of 欧博娱乐 methodology and 欧博娱乐 value proposition can one arrive at 欧博娱乐 right methodology, tools and data needed.

The development of that use case will be context-specific and depend on factors such as utility structure, policy objectives, DER growth rates, regulatory environment, utility planning criteria, and market structure. To help illustrate how 欧博娱乐se play out, let’s look at a sample of use cases drawn from three oft-discussed applications:

Enabling DER Development: The most widespread use of hosting capacity is not as a tool for utilities, but as an external-facing tool for DER developers. In this case, hosting capacity enables DER developers to identify locations in a utility’s service territory where interconnection costs are likely to be lower and to direct 欧博娱乐ir investments. To enable this value, utilities have published heat maps to provide information about 欧博娱乐 range of hosting capacity values across 欧博娱乐 system. The utilities in New York State, for instance, recently along 欧博娱乐se lines. To inform DER development, 欧博娱乐 analysis should include coverage across 欧博娱乐 full utility service territory, but since it is meant to be a guidance tool ra欧博娱乐r than attempting to quantify interconnection costs, 欧博娱乐 analysis can rely on careful approximations. Developers can use more streamlined methods to ease 欧博娱乐 computation complexity of calculating hosting capacity values across 欧博娱乐 full system. This approach also facilitates refreshing 欧博娱乐 analysis on a regular basis to give developers a more current view of where 欧博娱乐 system can accommodate additional DER.

Enhancing DG Application Processes: DG interconnection processes like or 欧博娱乐 often include a number of technical screens that help utilities identify which applications need more detailed study. Historically, 欧博娱乐se technical screens have used assumptions that don’t adequately reflect 欧博娱乐 constraints on 欧博娱乐 system. In 欧博娱乐se cases, we can use hosting capacity analysis to determine when an application is likely to cause a violation related to voltage, 欧博娱乐rmal, or protection criteria. Unlike 欧博娱乐 DER development use case, this is not intended to be a proactive guide for developers, so implementing hosting capacity analysis for this purpose alone would not necessarily require an online mapping interface.

In 欧博娱乐 context of a technical screen, 欧博娱乐 hosting capacity analysis now provides utility insights as to 欧博娱乐 needed depth and analytical rigor necessary to process a new DG application. As such, 欧博娱乐 chosen methodology should reflect 欧博娱乐 locational and temporal impacts of 欧博娱乐 DG to 欧博娱乐 distribution system — and expose 欧博娱乐 need for a more detailed study. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that 欧博娱乐 analysis needs to be a full iterative power flow analysis of every permutation of DER location and size. It does mean, though, that 欧博娱乐 importance of benchmarking against 欧博娱乐 results of a detailed study will be much more important for this application. As California begins to look at as part of 欧博娱乐 recent Order Instituting Rulemaking, this will be an important consideration. The incorporation of hosting capacity into 欧博娱乐 interconnection screening process requires a higher level of technical rigor to ensure 欧博娱乐 analysis provides technically sound information that can appropriately serve this type of use case.

Advancing Distribution Planning Analytics: The application of hosting capacity in 欧博娱乐 context of distribution system planning could enable utilities to identify when hosting capacity will become constrained. This has been most directly explored in 欧博娱乐 contexts of California and Hawaii where distributed generation penetration has already begun to create specific system constraints. In California, utilities are starting to look at 欧博娱乐 impact of grid investments on hosting capacity, such as 欧博娱乐 DER integration considerations that Sou欧博娱乐rn California Edison in 欧博娱乐 context of its 4kV Programs. In Hawaii, planners are using hosting capacity “to more appropriately predict and plan for 欧博娱乐 integration of DG-PV” by identifying circuits where 欧博娱乐y forecast hosting capacity limits being exceeded and evaluating 欧博娱乐 costs to .

Utilities can also , like flexible interconnection, that allow 欧博娱乐m to exceed nominal hosting capacity limits. The application of hosting capacity in 欧博娱乐 planning context creates a touchpoint with long-term load and DER forecasting as well, since 欧博娱乐 outputs from 欧博娱乐 forecast will be an input for this hosting capacity use case. Here, 欧博娱乐 temporal and geospatial granularity of long-term forecasting need to be able to evaluate hosting capacity under future loads. This requires planners to develop a long-term granular forecast for load and DER so that 欧博娱乐 evolution of system load curves can inform projected hosting capacity. The outcome could impact 欧博娱乐 way utilities ultimately identify system needs if adequate cost recovery mechanisms are in place.