For more than 20 years, Arizona Public Service has been gradually adopting grid technologies that enable “flexibility” for customers who seek greater energy independence through rooftop solar, electric vehicles, microgrids, and demand response. The company expects to add large battery storage and solar arrays in the upcoming years, which will test the ability of its T&D operating systems. 

The technologies that anchor APS' flexibility program include EMS, ADMS, AMI, advanced telecommunications, and analytics. While initially focused on distribution operations technologies, the current push is to enable additional capabilities in its EMS to cope with the growth of renewables.  

In this presentation, Arizona Public Service (APS) will unveil a new tool to manage large-scale solar PV and battery storage projects with innovative energy management system capabilities. This EMS leverages advanced technologies to enable renewables integration with:

• Situational awareness of solar, wind, battery, and microgrid resources
• Disturbance data collection and reporting  
• Solar and wind curtailment 
• Power model to enable solar, wind, battery, and microgrid resources
• Monitor and control battery storage

This presentation will focus on APS' current EMS program drivers and expected benefits, the innovative implementation approach, the transformation journey for transmission operations, and the new ways of working between T&D operations related to renewables.

Key Takeaways will include:

• How grid flexibility technologies help adapt to the growth in renewables in the coming years
• The key capabilities needed for effective coordination of large storage and solar
• The lessons learned from APS' current EMS program