NIST Smart Grid Testbed Expertise

NIST's Smart Grid Testbed Expertise, Infrastructure and Equipment

Personnel

The Testbed projects draw upon expertise from across the breadth and depth of NIST's laboratory staff. NIST researchers have extensive backgrounds in the fields of physical measurement science, engineering, cybersecurity, information and communications technology, computer science, and other fields.. Relevant to smart grid, Testbed personnel are specialized in the following:

• Cybersecurity

• Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
• Dynamics and Controls
• Grid Interconnectivity
• Interoperability Testing
• Microgrids
• Network Communications
• Phasor Measurement Units
• Smart Meters
• Smart Sensors
• Testing and Certification
• Timing and Synchronization
• Transactive Energy

Infrastructure

The NIST Smart Grid Testbed facility is located on NIST's Gaithersburg, Maryland campus. The facility consists of a series of contiguous and interconnected modules, which include: a measurement and smart sensor module; a timing and synchronization facility; a cybersecurity component; a power emulation module; a smart storage module; and a DER/Microgrid controller interface facility. The Testbed can also use equipment on the NIST campus, beyond these laboratories.

The modular design of the NIST Smart Grid Testbed allows our researchers to select, from among modules, the capabilities needed for a given research or testing application. Using the Testbed's communications and control, NIST personnel can link selected modules through data and communication lines, as well as through experimental power.

Through network connectivity and access to cloud computing platforms, Testbed capabilities include scalable simulation and hardware-in-the-loop experiments conducted on-site, or with partners across the nation and around the world.