MORE THAN SMART: A Framework to Make the Distribution Grid More Open, Efficient and Resilient

Abstract

This paper is the result of a series of workshops with industry, government and nonprofit leaders focused on helping guide future utility investments and planning for a new distributed generation system. The distributed grid is the final stage in the delivery of electric power linking electricity sub-stations to customers. To date, no state has initiated a comprehensive effort that includes the planning, design-build and operational requirements for large scale integration of DER into state-wide distributed generation systems. This paper provides a framework and guiding principles for how to initiate such a system and can be used to implement California law AB 327 passed in 2013 requiring investor owned utilities to submit a DER plan to the CPUC by July 2015 that identifies their optimal deployment locations.