Working with Arizona Public Service and two other partners, GE will work with a $3.3 million High Penetration Solar Deployment grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to address an issue that is likely to become more important as the nation continues to embrace new forms of clean energy.
"Much of the focus has been on new cell developments and system improvements to make solar more cost competitive, but the larger question is how to reliably integrate the higher penetrations of solar power expected. Through this study, we hope to gain more insight and answers," said Kathleen O'Brien, the project leader for GE.
The study is expected to be conducted in Flagstaff, Arizona, with an emphasis on what new technological advances may be needed to accommodate higher levels of solar energy. Researchers will be working with about 1.5 megawatts of solar energy in a single distribution area.
Also, the study hopes to determine how the stability of the grid could be impacted by fluctuating levels of solar production, since most of this activity occurs during daylight hours.
