The DOE has introduced a brand new Funding Alternative Announcement (DE-FOA-0003136), which presents as much as $65 million for Linked Communities 2.0, a program that “seeks to validate grid-edge expertise improvements in real-world conditions and supply new instruments for utilities, grid planners and operators, automakers and good cost administration service suppliers.”
This FOA has two main matter areas:
- Linked Communities, centered on grid edge technical measures in buildings, business and transportation to arrange the electrical grid for anticipated new hundreds.
- Good Cost Administration, centered on city, suburban and rural use circumstances to construct confidence in good charging as an efficient method for EVs to offer flexibility and worth to the electrical grid.
The primary Linked Communities tasks, launched in 2020, centered on integration of distributed vitality assets to help a extra variable grid. The two.0 model goals to foster improvement of latest applied sciences to make sure that the grid is versatile, resilient, and sized appropriately to accommodate rising hundreds from EV charging, knowledge facilities, and constructing and industrial electrification. Examples embody managed EV charging, good panels, vitality storage and rooftop photo voltaic.
“It’s vital that we plan for an influence system that’s safe, environment friendly and versatile, utilizing grid edge applied sciences,” stated Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Power Effectivity and Renewable Power. “Linked Communities 2.0 will supercharge these efforts by forging improvements that may be replicated in communities throughout America whereas guaranteeing affordability, fairness and resilience.”
One of many targets of Linked Communities 2.0 is to reveal how good and coordinated administration of EVs and different distributed vitality assets can present grid help, cut back system prices and encourage buyer adoption.
This FOA targets a number of areas for analysis, improvement and demonstration, together with discipline validation of good cost administration for EVs that may be deployed at massive scale.
Required idea papers are due August 20, 2024, and full functions are due October 10.
Supply: US Division of Power
