What a Grid Integration Study Can Do for You

A grid integration study builds confidence among stakeholders – policymakers, regulators, system operators, distribution utilities, and others – that ambitious clean energy targets can be met. It can also identify the policy, regulatory, infrastructure and power system operations interventions needed to achieve those targets cost-effectively and without compromising reliability of electricity service.

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Main Points

• Grid integration studies can answer questions about your power system and its operations under various renewable energy penetration scenarios.
• Critically, grid integration studies can also create a plan of action by identifying the policy or operational changes needed to make these scenarios viable.

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First, Watch This

Need to answer any of the following questions? You may need a grid integration study.

Next, Read This

Grid integration studies can accomplish a variety of objectives, and deliver a huge variety of findings. Check out these examples:

Now, Watch This

“Flexibility” allows a power system to respond to changes in supply and demand. An extremely valuable aspect of grid integration studies is identifying what additional sources of flexibility your power system may need.

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Suggested Actions & Next Steps

• Review the objectives of the studies cited above — do you or your colleagues have similar objectives or questions?
• Visit the Energy Analysis Publications webpage to review high-impact reports from the past decade of groundbreaking analysis from NREL and identify if a recent grid integration study has been completed for your power system. If so, does it answer your questions?
• Not all grid integration studies are publicly available. Contact your local authorities to find out if they are aware of studies that are not yet public.
• Begin to think: What flexibility mechanisms is your power system already employing?