Generac Grid Services to manage DERs for Dominion Energy Virginia
Dominion Energy Virginia selected Generac Grid Services to provide the utility’s distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) solution via its Concerto platform. Dominion Energy Virginia will be able to use Concerto to control distributed energy resources (DERs) for grid reliability purposes and to manage participation in existing customer programs.
The Concerto platform can be used to access and manage both current and planned DERs, including smaller consumer-owned behind-the-meter devices, such as residential solar arrays, battery storage, smart thermostats, electric vehicles, and other capacity resources.
The platform will also help Dominion Energy manage large front-of-meter devices, such as solar and energy storage. Concerto will help unify Dominion Energy Virginia’s growing fleet of distributed energy resources via direct connection to its utility control systems. This investment comes as part of the company’s larger Grid Transformation Plan.
“Generac Grid Services is pleased to support Dominion Energy with this important project,” said James Carr, president of Generac Grid Services. “This is a landmark, enterprise-level DERMS deployment that will aggregate many different types of DERs, integrate to utility systems and be used for both simple and advanced distribution optimization use cases.”
The upcoming implementation of FERC Order 2222 rules should allow DERs to compete on a level playing field in capacity, energy and ancillary service markets. With the Concerto platform, Dominion Energy will enable customers with approved DERs to participate in the PJM wholesale electricity market.
The Concerto platform will be integrated to Dominion Energy’s Advanced Distribution Management System and will process information, such as weather data, network conditions, demand forecasts and utility customer requirements, to recognize distribution system issues and rapidly dispatch the appropriate mix of DERs to respond.
Dominion Energy Virginia can also leverage the Concerto platform to balance supply and demand on its grid through the provision of advanced-use cases, including real-time voltage support at specific locations.
“Concerto will allow us to monitor, control, and optimize increasing levels of DERs on our system to maintain the safe and reliable grid that our customers expect,” stated Robbie Wright, vice president, Grid & Technical Solutions, Dominion Energy. “This is a key component of our efforts to modernize the electric grid, and we’re looking forward to its implementation.”
The Concerto platform works with a variety of vendors, highlighting Generac Grid Services’ dedication to a robust and future-proof ecosystem of distributed energy resources that allows Dominion Energy to maximize the value and choice they can offer to their customers for distributed energy initiatives.
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