Description
This is a 3-day course that offers a thorough and international overview of the fundamental, advanced, and practical aspects of assessing the ability of existing electricity distribution infrastructure to accommodate distributed energy resources. Each day has two lecture blocks (approximately 55 minutes, including Q&A).
Day 1 | Structure and Instructors
- Basics of Hosting Capacity (Prof Nando Ochoa)
- Context, Hosting Capacity Today, Types of Hosting Capacity.
- Calculating Hosting Capacity. The role of network and DER modelling.
- Hosting Capacity Challenges (Prof Fernanda Trindade [UNICAMP, Brazil], Prof Luis Gutierrez [UAI, Chile])
- Different perspectives of Hosting Capacity: From customers to regulators to utilities. The case of Brazil.
- Hosting Capacity with very limited observability. The case of Chile.
Day 2 | Structure and Instructors
- Making Large-Scale Hosting Capacity Calculations a Reality (Prof Fernanda Trindade, Dr Ricardo Torquato [ERA, Brazil])
- Network and DER modelling challenges in Brazil.
- Solving large-scale simulations.
- Online Platform “DER and Network Vision” (Prof Luis Gutierrez)
- From LV feeder-level to National quantification of residential PV Hosting Capacity in Chile.
- Regulation-based Hosting Capacity Heatmaps in MV networks for PV farm developers.
Day 3 | Structure and Instructors
- Data-Driven Advances in Hosting Capacity (Dr Matt Rylander [EPRI, USA], Dr Vincenzo Bassi [VoltMind, Australia])
- Using analytics to consider DER growth scenarios. Using hosting capacity to inform strategic planning decisions.
- Leveraging AI and Smart Meter Data: The Future of DER Hosting Capacity.
- What is next for Hosting Capacity? (Prof Nando Ochoa)
- Key messages from this course.
- Future-proofing network designs.
- Wrap up.
Day 1 | Videos, slides, and other content
Click on each block below.
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Slides
Further Reading
- Publicly Available Hosting Capacity Maps (examples from the US and Australia)
- (US) Southern California Edison: https://ltmdrpep.sce.com/drpep/
- (US) Orange and Rockland: https://coned.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=8cf1195eedcb4992852c806f3384d62c
- (US) Xcel Energy: https://co.my.xcelenergy.com/s/renewable/developers/interconnection/hosting-capacity-map
- (US) Dominion Energy: https://www.dominionenergy.com/projects-and-facilities/electric-projects/energy-grid-transformation/hosting-capacity-tool
- (US) Pepco Holdings: https://www.pepco.com/SmartEnergy/MyGreenPowerConnection/Pages/HostingCapacityMap.aspx
- (Australia) National Maps: https://nationalmap.gov.au/
- Publicly Available Geospatial Maps of Distribution Companies (examples from Australia)
- Ausnet (Victoria): https://dapr.ausnetservices.com.au/
- Ausgrid (New South Wales): https://dtapr.ausgrid.com.au/
- Evo Energy (Australian Capital Territory): https://apr.evoenergy.com.au/
- Hosting Capacity (Definitions and Discussion of Challenges)
- (US) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): https://www.nrel.gov/solar/market-research-analysis/advanced-hosting-capacity-analysis.html
- (US) Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC): https://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IREC-Key-Decisions-for-HCA.pdf [HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]
- (Brazil) Electricity Regulator Agency (ANEEL): https://biblioteca.aneel.gov.br/Busca/Download?codigoArquivo=180213&tipoMidia=0 (Portuguese)
- (Chile) UAI Center for Energy Transition (CENTRA): https://acesol.cl/images/noticias/noticias-2023/Informe_CENTRA-ACESOL_Master_v2.pdf (Spanish)
- (Australia) Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA): https://arena.gov.au/assets/2018/05/der-faqs-may-update.pdf
- (Australia) Australian Energy Regulator (AER): https://www.aer.gov.au/system/files/AER%20-%20Export%20Tariff%20Guidelines%20explanatory%20statement%20-%20May%202022.pdf
- (Solar and Wind) Hosting Capacity and Impacts
- 2020 On the role of integrated MV-LV network modelling in DER studies - CIRED Workshop
- 2016 Probabilistic impact assessment of low carbon technologies in LV distribution systems - IEEE TPWPS
- 2015 Increasing the PV hosting capacity of LV networks: OLTC-fitted transformers vs. reinforcements - IEEE/PES ISGT
- 2015 On the integrated PV hosting capacity of MV and LV distribution networks - IEEE PES ISGT Latin America
- 2013 Monte Carlo-based assessment of PV Impacts on real UK low voltage networks - IEEE PES GM
- 2013 Assessing the benefits of PV var absorption on the hosting capacity of LV feeders - IEEE/PES ISGT Europe
- 2010 DG impact on investment deferral: Network planning and security of supply - IEEE TPWRS
- 2008 Evaluating distributed time-varying generation through a multiobjective index - IEEE TPWRD
- 2006 Evaluating distributed generation impacts with a multiobjective index - IEEE TPWRD
- (EVs) Hosting Capacity and Impacts
- 2020 Multi-year planning of LV networks with EVs accounting for customers, emissions and techno-economics aspects: A practical and scalable approach - IET GTD
- 2020 Regional-scale allocation of fast charging stations: Travel times and distribution system reinforcements - IET TGD
- 2018 How electric vehicles and the grid work together - IEEE P&E Magazine
- 2015 A statistical analysis of EV charging behavior in the UK - IEEE PES ISGT Latin America
- 2015 Probabilistic impact assessment of EV charging on residential UK LV networks - CIRED
- 2015 Probabilistic impact assessment of low carbon technologies in LV distribution systems - IEEE TPWRS
Hands-On Coding
- Go to https://github.com/Team-Nando
- Tutorial on DER Hosting Capacity
- Operating Envelopes
- MV-LV Network Models
- … and more, using Jupyter Notebook and Google Colab (i.e., no need for software installation
Related Projects
- Project EV Integration
- Project Advanced Planning of PV-Rich Distribution Networks
- Publicly Available Hosting Capacity Maps (examples from the US and Australia)
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Slides Part 1 (Fernanda), Slides Part 2 (Luis)
Further Reading on the Brazilian Hosting Capacity Case
- 2023 Practical Method for First-Screening Assessment of New PV Connection Requests on Unbalanced Low Voltage Distribution Systems - IEEE Transactions on Power DeliveryLinks to an external site.
- 2023 Monte Carlo-Based Approach for Obtaining the Marginal Costs of Grid Reinforcement for the Accommodation of Rooftop PVs - ISGT Latin AmericaLinks to an external site.
- 2021 Impact Assessment of Wide-Scale Rooftop PV Penetration on Overcurrent Protection of Distribution Networks - Journal of Control Automation and Electrical SystemsLinks to an external site.
- 2021 Methodology for the Creation of More Realistic Scenarios of Rooftop PVs Allocation in Monte Carlo Studies - IEEE URUCONLinks to an external site.
- Data of Distributed Generation under Net Metering Tariff (Brazil) (in Portuguese)Links to an external site.
- Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency, “Recommendations on the Studies considering Reverse Power Flow” (in Portuguese)
Further Reading on the Chilean Hosting Capacity Case
Day 2 | Videos, slides, and other content
Click on each block below.
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Slides
Further Reading
- 2022 Practical Method for First-Screening Assessment of New PV Connection Requests on Unbalanced Low Voltage Distribution Systems - IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery
- 2023 Monte Carlo-Based Approach for Obtaining the Marginal Costs of Grid Reinforcement for the Accommodation of Rooftop PVs - ISGT Latin America
- 2021 Impact Assessment of Wide-Scale Rooftop PV Penetration on Overcurrent Protection of Distribution Networks - Journal of Control Automation and Electrical Systems
- 2021 Methodology for the Creation of More Realistic Scenarios of Rooftop PVs Allocation in Monte Carlo Studies - IEEE URUCON
- Data of Distributed Generation under Net Metering Tariff (Brazil) (in Portuguese)
- Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency, “Recommendations on the Studies considering Reverse Power Flow” (in Portuguese)
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Day 3 | Videos, slides, and other content
Click on each block below.
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Slides Part 1 (Matt), Slides Part 2 (Vini)
Further Reading on Calculating/Using Hosting Capacity
- 2020 The Hosting Capacity Process - EPRI
- 2018 Impact Factors, Methods, and Considerations for Calculating and Applying Hosting Capacity - EPRI
Further Reading on Leveraging AI and Smart Meters for Hosting Capacity
- 2025 An Electrical Model-Free Three-Phase OPF for PV-Rich LV Networks Using Smart Meter and Transformer Data - EPSR
- 2024 Demonstrating Electrical Model-Free Voltage Calculations with Real Smart Meter Data - ISGT Europe
- 2023 Smart Meter Data and Operating Envelopes: A Model-Free Approach - ISGT Latin America
- 2023 From Model-Driven to Model-Free: Comparisons using Real Smart Meter Data and Real Distribution Network from Australia Study - CIGRE
- 2022 An Electrical Model-Free Optimal Power Flow for PV-Rich Low Voltage Distribution Networks - ISGT Europe
- 2022 Electrical Model-Free Voltage Calculations Using Neural Networks and Smart Meter Data - IEEE Transactions on Smart Grids
- 2021 Model-Free Voltage Calculations for PV-Rich LV Networks: Smart Meter Data and Deep Neural Networks - IEEE PES PowerTech
- 2021 Calculating Voltages Without Electrical Models: Smart Meter Data and Neural Networks - CIRED
Related Projects
Related Webinars
- Advanced Analytics Hosting Capacity (click on Attachments >> Media >> Play)
- Going Model-Free: The Future of Flexible Export Limits:
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Our Projects with Industry
Examples of the industrial projects carried out by our research group.
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Low-Carbon Power Systems
Develop key expertise in the operation, planning and design of low-carbon power systems and energy markets with deep penetration of renewables, distributed energy resources, and smart grid technologies.
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People
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Smart Grid Lab
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