Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) issued the Grid Integration of Solar Energy Systems and Other Inverter-based Resources Request for Information (RFI). This RFI will enable SETO to better understand technical challenges and opportunities for grid integration of solar energy systems and other inverter-based resources that include photovoltaics and energy storage facilities connected to bulk power systems, distribution systems, microgrids, and behind-the-meter systems.

SETO encourages feedback from members of the solar industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, end-user groups, and other relevant organizations related to the cost-effective and reliable integration of solar energy onto the electric grid. Questions in the RFI span six topic areas addressing future scenarios with high levels of inverter-based resources and distributed energy resources:

• System Planning
• System Operation
• System Resilience
• Cybersecurity
• Enabling Technologies – Power Electronics, Communication, Sensing, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning
• Other Emerging Topics

Feedback provided through this RFI will help SETO identify key challenges, assess technology gaps, determine research needs and priorities, and develop new research, development, and demonstration initiatives to support rapid solar deployment and the smooth transition to a reliable, secure, resilient, and decarbonized grid of the future.

Download the RFI and submit responses by Nov. 30.