Power & Energy Society

Speaker: Justin Woodard, Principal Engineer, National Grid

Refreshments start at 6:00pm; Talk begins at 6:30pm

Location: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Beatty Hall Room #426, 550 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

Registration link: https://site.ieee.org/boston-pes/ieee-boston-pes-technical-meeting-flexible-interconnections-in-the-real-world/

Flexible interconnections represent a critical evolution in how electric utilities integrate distributed energy resources (DERs) at scale without triggering upgrades that developers find too costly and time-consuming. While the concept has gained traction across the industry, successful implementation requires more than policy—it demands coordinated execution across planning, operations, technology, and market structures. This presentation draws on real-world project experience from multiple live and operational flexible interconnection sites, providing a practitioner’s perspective on how these frameworks can move from pilot programs to repeatable, scalable solutions.

From a developer’s standpoint, uncertainty remains one of the greatest barriers to adoption. Solar and storage project sponsors must evaluate curtailment risk, revenue impacts, and financing viability within the constraints of a flexible interconnection agreement. This session examines how these agreements can be integrated into existing interconnection processes without introducing unnecessary friction or delay.

On the utility side, incorporating flexible DER assets into the distribution planning lifecycle introduces new modeling and analytical challenges. Traditional hosting capacity and deterministic planning approaches must evolve to model dynamic (8760) operating conditions and controllable resources. This presentation discusses methods for studying flexible interconnections, including time-series analysis, probabilistic constraints, and the integration of DER flexibility into long-term distribution investment planning.

Operationalizing flexible interconnections requires the deployment of a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) capable of monitoring, forecasting, and dispatching DER assets in near real-time.

Finally, the presentation addresses the enabling role of communications infrastructure in supporting flexible interconnections. Reliable, low-latency communication networks are essential for issuing control signals, validating asset response, and ensuring system security. Drawing from field deployments, the session outlines practical approaches to designing and implementing architectures that support real-time command and control, while balancing cost, cybersecurity, and performance.

Bio:

Justin Woodard is a Principal Engineer at National Grid with more than 20 years of experience developing and deploying innovative technologies across the electric utility industry. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Massachusetts. He has led and supported initiatives spanning advanced DER integration, grid modernization, and flexible interconnections, with a particular focus on bringing new concepts from pilot programs into operational reality. In his current role, he helps shape National Grid’s DERMS strategy and works with cross-functional teams to integrate distributed energy resources into planning and operations. He is passionate about building practical solutions that enable the electric grid to support the next generation of renewable and flexible energy resources.