Technology Innovation
One key to BPA’s success is making a firm connection with the business and technology challenges facing the utility industry. Technology roadmaps capture the logic and business framework for research and development. The roadmaps describe the specific BPA-related factors driving technology needs and identify the areas offering the greatest potential. BPA's Technology Innovation uses a cross agency Council of executives and technologists to guide its research and development efforts.
BPA's Technology Innovation initiative has an annual cycle of portfolio funding based on strategic needs identified in the agency’s technology roadmaps. In February, all projects in the portfolio are reviewed by the Council, and then in March a solicitation is open for new projects. The solicitation is open from March to May. Technical reviews of the proposals occur in June. In July, the Council selects the projects for inclusion in the following fiscal year’s portfolio. BPA’s technology innovation projects constitute a portfolio of near-, medium-, and long-term projects, and, as a portfolio, are expected to produce direct financial benefits to BPA, and through BPA, deliver value to the Pacific Northwest electric system.
Contact us at Technology Innovation
Reservoir System Modeling Technologies Conference: February 21-22, 2012
General Announcement
The Bonneville Power Administration is hosting a Reservoir System Modeling Technologies Conference to discuss state-of-the-art computational methods, simulation techniques, uncertainty analysis, and data display methods as they pertain to reservoir system modeling and operational planning. See the link below for more information.
Voltage Control Technical Conference held August 23, 2011
On August 23, 2011, BPA held a Voltage Control Technical Conference. Experts in generation control systems, wind turbine manufacturers, wind generation operators, and bulk grid operators presented at the conference. Their presentations are linked below.
Wind generation on the BPA grid and in the NW is reaching levels that have not been experienced before. We may have 6,000 MW on the BPA grid and more than 7,000 MW in the NW by 2013. At these levels, wind generation could become more than 60-80% of the load at certain times. Voltage control and reactive support for the wind fleet will need to provide the same level of reliability as the traditional resources, especially at these times. We also need to have systems in place to recover from system disturbances, including frequency recovery.
The purpose of this technical conference was to open a discussion on best practices with grid operators, wind generation operators, and turbine manufacturers and to identify prospects for solutions in advance of problems. BPA presented some experiences and concerns. Presentations from other grid operators, wind project operators and the turbine manufacturers were given to gain their perspectives as well. Utility and industry perspectives on active power control of wind generation following system-wide disturbances were also included as part of the growing need to consider impacts of a high wind generation on the grid.
BPA also discussed the WECC Synchrophasor program and how it could help parties understand the performance of generation resources for system disturbances and enhance operation of the bulk grid when variable generation resources are a large portion of total generation.
Presentations
FY2011 Agency R&D Portfolio
BPA selected projects for Fiscal Year 2011 beginning October 1st, 2010. Technology Innovation’s Portfolio Management program and the list of projects are included below.
Technology Roadmaps
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