Impact and Value of Energy Storage on a High-DER Penetration Distribution Feeder in Southern California

Abstract

Energy storage systems (ES) are highly flexible assets that have the potential to be leveraged for multiple distribution, transmission, market, and customer-side services. While providing multiple or stacked services with ES may allow to capture more value, it introduces more requirements that may conflict. Assessing the requirements and value of stacked services requires site-specific and complex analysis. This paper demonstrates the modelling and analysis of ES as a non-wires alternative in stacked-services and the associated distribution system impact and value on a real high-DER penetration utility feeder located in Southern California, USA. In particular, this paper presents the modelling and analysis of stacked reverse power flow limiting, voltage regulation support, and bulk/market services. The research shows that wholesale market participation can constitute of notable portion of the ES revenues and thus, can determine whether a storage investment is cost-beneficial. However, detailed and accurate feeder models and data are required for assessing ES stacked-services on high-DER penetration feeders.