ENERGY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION ESI optimizes the design and performance of electrical,

electrical,
thermal, fuel, and water pathways at all scales.

ADMS Evaluation

Platform
Deploying an ADMS or looking to
optimize its value? NREL offers a low-
cost, low-risk evaluation platform for
assessing ADMS performance.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office
of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability have
developed a vendor-neutral advanced distribution
management system (ADMS) evaluation platform
and is expanding its capabilities. The platform uses
actual grid-scale hardware, large-scale distribution
system models, and advanced visualization to
simulate real-world conditions for the most accurate
ADMS evaluation and experimentation.
We are looking to partner with utilities that
have deployed or are deploying an ADMS. The goal
is to help optimize the value of the utility’s ADMS
by using its features to solve complex grid control
challenges, reduce costs, and improve reliability.
PA R T N E R S H I P S
Examples of the types of questions the
ADMS evaluation platform can answer:
“What is the best approach to maximizing volt/VAR optimization (VVO)
performance when the ADMS needs to interact with legacy voltage
control equipment, smart inverters, storage assets, grid-edge devices, and
distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS)/microgrids?”
“What are the settings for maximizing the effectiveness of the ADMS fault
location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR) application if the feeder
load level consistently exceeds 50%?”
“Can downstream battery energy storage systems (BESS) be used to
shorten the length of customer outages?”
“How many new telemetry points should be added to ensure complete
observability for the ADMS online power flow application for feeders with
high photovoltaic (PV) penetrations?”
“Is the ADMS power flow capable of capturing scenarios when there is a
loss of rooftop PV systems?”
“How can a utility participate in markets most effectively to maximize
additional revenue while meeting other constraints?”

Role

Process Utility NREL Vendor

ΠDefine question Determine question/ Define use case Identify value

NREL’s ADMS evaluation platform takes a challenge to address proposition
collaborative approach, involving the utility,
the vendor, and NREL. The utility identifies the  Create test to Provide equipment
Define test plan
operational question it would like answered, answer question capabilities
including any specific performance objectives
and metrics, and provides the necessary data. Ž Run test Provide field data Configure test bed and Provide technical
(models, load data) execute test plan support
Generally, no utility personnel are required to
execute the research. The figure to the right is a
high-level outline of the process.  Get answer Improve operations, reduce Results analysis Gain product
to question costs, gain new insights performance insights
Overview of NREL’s ADMS Evaluation Platform
Following are the core capabilities that enable this advanced research:

Multitimescale Simulation Power Hardware-in-the-Loop

The multitimescale simulation environment will act as the Power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) links actual power
real distribution system on which the ADMS operates. The system equipment such as PV and BESS inverters, grid-
simulation environment is capable of performing quasi- edge devices, and legacy utility control and automation
steady-state simulations, phasor-domain simulations, and equipment to a lab-simulated utility environment. With
electromagnetic transient simulation studies. PHIL, researchers can test how equipment interacts with the
ADMS at scale and validate software models.
Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop
Controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) makes it possible to
evaluate controller hardware when testing at actual scale or
power levels is not required or possible.

12240000

Other Utility 1640000

Vendor ADMS 1660000 1680000
X
1700000 1720000 1740000

Management Systems IVVO SCADA FLISR

Microgrid Controller
Multitimescale Simulation
DERMS Controller
QSTS Tool Phasor & EMT Tool
12300000
Y

(OpenDSS) 12300000
Y (Opal-RT)
IEEE8500u:Power
CHIL
IEEE8500u:Power

Transmission EMS
12280000
Protection Relays
12280000

Measurements & Feedback

12260000 Distribution Feeders Feeder Subsection
Controls & Feedback
12260000
Asset Controllers

12240000

Remote HIL 1640000 1660000 1680000

PHIL
X
1700000

12240000
1720000 1740000

Voltage Controllers
Interface Models DC
1640000 1660000

GS
1680000 1700000 1720000 1740000

DC
X

AC ~
Controller Controllable PV/BESS Grid Simulator
DC Source Inverter

Getting Started
Each ADMS project has unique objectives and challenges. We want to hear about yours. Contact Martha Symko-Davies,
Laboratory Program Manager for Energy Systems Integration, Martha.Symko.Davies@nrel.gov, at NREL for more information.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/FS-5D00-70650 • January 2018

15013 Denver West Parkway • Golden, CO 80401 • 303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov NREL prints on paper that contains recycled content.

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.