The process of creating electricity.
Heat derived from the Earth’s interior, which can be harnessed for electricity generation. It’s a renewable resource, as the Earth’s internal heat is continuously replenished.
The electrical grid is a vast, interconnected network comprising power plants, transmission lines, substations, and distribution lines. Its purpose is to generate, transmit, and deliver electricity from producers to consumers across a wide geographic area.
A variety of technologies that improve the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of existing power grids. They are often lower cost and faster to deploy than major grid infrastructure upgrades like building new transmission lines. These technologies optimize the flow of electricity across existing infrastructure.
Refers to the ability of an inverter to synchronize with frequency and voltage on the grid. These are more common than grid forming and refer to how this technology takes its cues from the grid, not the other way around.
Refers to the ability of an inverter to actively control frequency and voltage on the grid, helping to ensure grid stability. They can provide ancillary services, such as inertia, voltage regulation, and frequency response, essential for maintaining grid stability.
Refers to the many solutions that help the grid withstand major events, such as extreme weather, natural disasters, or cyber attacks, without disruption.
A non-profit organization that represents state public service commissions, which regulate essential utility services like energy, telecommunications, and water. Its stated aim is to improve the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation. It has eight committees:
It also has a task force focused on Innovation.
Non-profit organization that operates to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid. It oversees six regional reliability entities and encompasses all of the interconnected power systems of Canada and the contiguous United States, as well as a portion of the Mexican state of Baja California. Its responsibilities include working with all stakeholders to develop standards for power system operation, monitoring and enforcing compliance with those standards, assessing resource adequacy, and providing educational and training resources as part of an accreditation program. NERC also investigates and analyzes the causes of significant power system disturbances in order to help prevent future events and produces reports about the near and long-term reliability forecast.
A document used by government agencies to announce a potential new rule or amendment to an existing one. This is an official part of the law-making process, allowing public comment before the rule is finalized. The acronym is frequently used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
A government-owned, contractor-operated facility, funded and overseen by the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It specializes in the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy systems integration, and sustainable transportation.
New York ISO
Power that does not perform useful work but is used to establish and maintain electromagnetic fields that are needed to generate, transmit, and convert electric power in the alternating current network. A shortage of reactive power can cause voltage to decline. (See also: voltage support)
A characteristic of the whole electricity system to describe its ability to consistently deliver electricity to consumers without interruption, even through grid disturbances. Reliability comes down to having sufficient generating resources to meet demand and a functional operational grid system.
An agreement initiated by an RTO or ISO with a power plant, keeping it in operation temporarily for reliability purposes.
The ability of the grid to ride through extreme events, recover quickly, and support other critical systems (e.g., transportation, health care, public safety etc.).
An assessment of whether the current or projected resource mix is sufficient to meet capacity and energy needs for a particular grid. The resource mix includes all resources able to provide capacity and energy to the system. Adequacy assessments are used to identify potential shortfalls in the availability of resources across different time frames; from long-term planning (5 to 20+ years) to seasonal and day-ahead assessments.
(see also: ISO) – A non-profit organization that manages the electricity transmission system in a specific region, ensuring reliable and efficient electricity delivery. RTOs operate the high-voltage electricity grid, facilitating the movement of power from generating plants to substations and ultimately to consumers. They also oversee competitive wholesale electricity markets.
A type of power station in which the heat energy generated from various fuel sources (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear fuel, etc.) is converted to electrical energy.
The maximum amount of electrical power that can be reliably moved from one geographic region of the power grid to another, essentially indicating the ability of the transmission lines connecting those regions to transport electricity between them without causing instability or exceeding safety limits. It’s a crucial concept for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the power system, particularly in the context of electricity markets and grid planning.
