At the Distributed Energy Resources Subcommittee on June 8, members reviewed a revised work plan and looked at the proposed solution package and associated draft language around procedures for non-wholesale DER/behind-the-meter-generation resources.
In addition, stakeholders discussed a proposal, from Icetec, that would break up the subcommittee work into four tracks. The original charge for the subcommittee (when it was a task force) was to look at the difficulty with interconnecting distributed energy resources.
Each track would be worked separately, with its own consensus-based issue resolution process, timeline, matrix, proposals and votes. The tracks:
- Interconnection
- Aggregation
- Markets
- Operations and Coordination
Summer-Only Demand Response Senior Task Force
PJM presented additional analysis of peak shaving frequency based on historical zonal summer forecasts. This was a follow-up to PJM’s presentation at the May task force meeting.
There was a review of the updated work plan and of the PJM proposed package and a brief discussion of the design components and options.
The PJM package will initially generate a new lower load forecast based on a modified load history that assumes perfect curtailment compliance back to 1998. It reflects shaving trigger points and market value. Perfect curtailment assumptions will be revisited based on actual performance.
One change would be modifying the forecast model to include shaving (or load management) as an independent variable.
As part of the updated work plan, there are two additional meetings (on June 29 and July 25). Becky Carroll, director – Member Relations, and chair of the task force, urged stakeholders to review the draft proposals and submit comments or questions to her and Michael Borradaile.
Carroll and PJM subject matter experts pointed out that whatever comes out of the task force could affect load forecasting timelines.
After the task force finalizes a proposal, the price responsive demand proposals that were discussed at the Markets & Reliability Committee meeting held on Dec. 7 will be up for endorsement at the Markets & Reliability Committee.
Intermittent Resources Subcommittee
At its June 4 meeting, the Intermittent Resources Subcommittee reviewed the pertinent results from the base residual auction.
PJM also discussed incorporating solar resources into the long-term load forecast. Because distributed solar generation is not connected to the grid (non-wholesale), it neither goes through the full interconnection queue process nor offers as a capacity or energy resource.
Currently, to account for the historical impacts of distributed solar generation, PJM back-casts hourly values by zone. These estimates are then added to the unrestricted load used in PJM load models. For forecasted values of distributed solar capacity, PJM contracts with IHS Energy to develop a distributed solar generation forecast specific to the PJM region. PJM then uses the state-level forecast to derive a zonal solar impact at peak. Those values are then subtracted from the forecast created with solar addbacks.
PJM is looking at future enhancements, recognizing the advancements in the precision of estimating solar generation with more granular weather data. PJM is looking to enhance the historical back-casts for behind-the-meter solar facilities in the PJM footprint.
At its September meeting, the subcommittee will look at interconnection standards for solar and DER participating in markets.
MIC Special Session: Electric Storage Participation/FERC Order 841
A special session of the Market Implementation Committee held June 14 to study FERC Order 841 included educational presentations about pumped hydro operation and reactive and reserves for electric storage resources.
The meeting is one of five scheduled to discuss and receive stakeholder feedback regarding a filing due Dec. 3 to comply with FERC’s order to RTOs and ISOs to establish a participation model for electric storage resources.
The group also received feedback on the matrix from Peter Fuller, representing NextEra, and Tom Rutigliano, representing the Energy Storage Association.
