NARUC Report Focuses on DERs, Microgrids, and Grid Resilience

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) has released a report focused on how distributed energy resources (DERs) and microgrids can improve the resilience of the power grid. The report, Advancing Electric System Resilience with Distributed Energy Resources: A Review of State Policies, is designed in part as a guide to help state regulators review proposed distributed energy projects.

“With more threats to the distribution grid, strategically placing generation resources or energy storage on the distribution system may be the most cost-efficient option in some cases; particularly in remote locations where transmission and distribution lines are difficult to build or maintain,” NARUC said in the report.

NARUC gave examples of how microgrids can be used to improve grid resilience. The association said DER microgrids can support several resilience characteristics, including islanding capability, siting at key locations, fuel security, quick ramping, grid services, flexibility, and decentralization.

Those interested in learning more about microgrids and DERs should plan to attend POWER’s third Distributed Energy Conference, scheduled October 19-21 in Chicago, Illinois. The event will bring together stakeholders from across the decentralized power generation landscape, including utility executives, trade association leaders, microgrid developers, energy storage experts, and leading authorities from the solar and wind power industries.

—Darrell Proctor is associate editor for POWER (@DarrellProctor1, @POWERmagazine).