1 GridAgents TM : Intelligent Agent Applications for Integration of Distributed Energy Resources within Distribution Systems David A. Cohen, CEO Infotility, dave@infotility.com Abstract—Infotility’s GridAgents TM software is being used for large-scale integration of distributed energy and renewable energy resources into distribution systems with specific applications on SmartGrid based energy networks including Microgrid management, intelligent load control and smart charging applications, including photovoltaics & storage, load control, and future assets such as plug-in hybrid cars. The GridAgents™ EAM Suite is an advanced software foundation (based on multi-agent system technology) designed to work in concert with Service-oriented Architectures such as Web Services. The architecture enables the deployment of communities and eco-systems of intelligent grid resources which can adapt to changing run-time conditions collaborate to solve complex problems, and flexibly accommodate new behavior through the use of plug-in architectures. This paper will discuss the use of multi-agent systems used in the GridAgents software and will discuss some example applications and deployments currently being used with distribution utilities as part of distribution automation applications. Index Terms—Multi-Agent Systems, Distribution Automation, SmartGrid. MicroGrid, Renewables. Distributed Energy Resources. I. NOMENCLATURE DER - Distributed Energy Resources MAS - Multi-Agent System DA - Distribution Automation DNC – Distribution Network Control II. INTRODUCTION his paper briefly discusses some of the advanced demonstrations of the Infotility GridAgents software platform being deployed within Con Edison of New York’s distribution system. The GridAgents software and applications are being installed within Con Edison’s 3G: System of the Future (3G/SOF) development efforts. This “Smart Grid” development convergence will continue to be guided by ongoing industry consortium efforts such as GridWise, GridWorks, and Intelligrid with the goal of This work was partially7supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant BS123. achieving both ConEdison’s’ and the DOE Office of Electricity’s long term electric delivery goals. III. CON EDISON NETWORK Con Edison services New York City’s five boroughs and Westchester County – a territory with a very high load density that covers more than six hundred square miles and 8.7M people. Con Edison maintains one of the most sophisticated secondary network systems in the world, with one of the highest levels of service reliability and resulting high infrastructure and maintenance costs in the U.S. The Con Edison electric grid includes approximately 27,000 km of primary distribution cables, supplying 24,000 network transformers in 63 secondary networks. By some estimates Con Edison has half the electrical distribution networks in the world. 3G: System of the Future The Con Edison 3G: System of the Future is an ongoing project to design the “Third Generation” electric system that will be the basis for power delivery into the future, using advanced technologies to meet new operating and customer electric demands, maintain reliability, optimize costs, and ensure security. The 3G System of the Future is implementing a modernization of its electric network design to optimize its configurations of substations, and Primary and secondary distributions systems. The general design principles supported by the 3G/SOF project include: • Inclusion of distributed resources • Consider Substation load transfer • Application of HVDC • Higher distribution voltage (27kV, 33kV, 33+kV) • Minimal secondary grid • Advanced intelligence and distributed software • Company-deployed mobile DER assets TABLE I T