The United States tests a super virtual power plant: seamless integration of solar, nuclear, hydrogen and batteries

The ARIES platform is located at NREL's Colorado campus. Image: NREL

For one hour in January, solar arrays, lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen electrolyzers and nuclear reactors not only coordinated to provide reliable power, but also combined real and simulated technologies hundreds of miles apart.

The remote virtual power plant is part of a national research and development project that uses the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Science Network (ESnet) to remotely connect energy assets in real time.

Researchers linked the capabilities of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to create an environment that allows them to study energy systems that don't currently exist.

The researchers said they had demonstrated that renewable energy and nuclear energy combined in a hybrid system could complement each other to support the grid.

“Integrating nuclear assets deployed at INL and connecting them with renewable energy assets at NREL demonstrates the power of energy hybridization and highlights the importance of connectivity in achieving sustainable energy solutions,” said Rob Hovsapian, NREL’s ARIES research leader for hybrid energy systems.

Test Design

At NREL, the Advanced Research in Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform provides the solar array, battery storage system, hydrogen fuel electrolyzer, and controllable grid interface. A digital real-time simulator enables researchers to connect models and responses from both NREL and INL.

At INL, researchers simulated a small modular nuclear reactor and high-temperature electrolyzer in the lab's Systems Simulation Laboratory.

The fiber optic cable operated by ESnet provides a high-speed, low-latency and low-jitter data connection between the two laboratories. The connection synchronizes analog and control signals, providing what is known as "virtual proximity" to the assets.

The researchers say their work shows that nuclear and renewable energy could be combined for use in the power grid. For extra functionality, the researchers added a hydrogen electrolyzer and thermal batteries to store excess energy.

The hybrid plant helps ensure the grid's needs are met while also using heat provided by nuclear power to produce clean hydrogen.

During the demonstration, the researchers simulated a passing cloud suddenly causing solar power to shut down, and then the nuclear reactor stepped in to support grid demand. Then, when they simulated a storm that knocked out nearby power lines, the nuclear reactor reduced power to the grid and redirected it toward increased hydrogen production and storage. These scenarios provide data for hybrid designs of renewable energy and nuclear power.

Proof of Concept

The first demonstration was carried out in 2017 by eight labs across the U.S. using a virtual private network connection. It was largely considered a successful proof of concept. But varying delays made it difficult to collaboratively simulate power signals that require millisecond sensitivity.

The ESnet team reduced latency variance, bringing it down from 11.5 ms to 0.02 ms, which proved useful in 2021 when another demo was created to support a remote city in Alaska.

In their most recent demonstration in January, the researchers used ESnet6, which features higher data capacity, real-time data visualization, and new automation and cybersecurity tools.

From its headquarters at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ESnet can reach several research nodes, including in Europe. It is designed to enable labs to better share supercomputers, particle reactors and wind turbines, regardless of geographic location.

The next demonstration is expected to simulate a national disaster at eight national labs. Researchers plan to study the impact of a major blackout caused by a hurricane or cyberattack on distributed energy systems. The 2017 demonstration ran on 80 devices, while the upcoming demonstration, due in late 2023, will run on 10,000 devices.

(Original source: Global Energy Global Energy Storage Network, New Energy Network Comprehensive)