)
US DOE Grid Modernization Investment Framework – An Effective Cost Justification for Building the Grid of the Future
- The US Department of Energy Office of Electricity is developing a Grid Modernization Investment Framework, (GMIF) a structured, adaptable, in-depth maturity model guide that sets a benchmark approach that enables stakeholders in planning, prioritizing, and justifying modernization investments in the US electric grid. This tool focuses on core DOE priorities, including Energy Innovation, Affordable Energy for Consumers, Energy Reliability, and Energy Infrastructure.
The GMIF identifies six core grid functions necessary for a modern grid: Plan, Design, Build, Observe, Operate, Maintain. Each function has a set of categories and capabilities that are fundamental to meeting the priorities. It provides a deeper exploration to define the future grid via sub capabilities and a capability maturity model, this creates a roadmap for utility progress toward grid modernization. Utilities, regulators, and public officials can assess benchmarked capabilities, an identified future goal state, and the investments required to cross the gap to that future.
This session will showcase outcomes resulting from a utility applying the GMIF to their modernization efforts. This experience will show how the assessment identified the utility’s readiness to compete in a modernized grid environment and articulating the investing need to close the gaps to its desired future grid state.
The US DOE (Avi Gopstein) will discuss the importance of modernizing the US grid that is essential to ensuring the energy industry remains dominant and competitive against any factors that attempt to limit agility, reliability, security, and resilience.
The Oak Ridge National Labs (Tom King) will describe the multi-faceted project approach to developing the GMIF with its technical partners: DRG Tech Solutions, Electric Power Research Institute, EnerNex, and Guidehouse, as well as with the project’s Industry Working Group, ensuring technical relevance and depth of the GMIF with outside review to guarantee it is actionable and durable.
Attendees will learn from this presentation on the use of the GMIF to achieve their Grid Modernization goals.
