Solar Energy Wiki topic
Grid
Utility connection, export, and distributed energy systems.
41 published concepts
Evidence through 2026-05-29 · 14 members have no source-event date
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Starting points
Begin with these concepts
- Solar-storage islanding
Solar-storage islanding is an intentional operating mode in which approved equipment isolates selected local loads from the utility grid and supplies them from local generation or storage.
- Grid interconnection
Grid interconnection is the technical and administrative process for connecting a customer energy system to an electric utility distribution system under applicable requirements.
- Permission to operate
Permission to operate is a utility's authorization for an interconnected customer system to begin operating under the utility's stated conditions after required project steps are complete.
Published directory
All grid concepts
41 total
- Solar-storage islanding
Solar-storage islanding is an intentional operating mode in which approved equipment isolates selected local loads from the utility grid and supplies them from local generation or storage.
GS-CONCEPT-053 - Grid interconnection
Grid interconnection is the technical and administrative process for connecting a customer energy system to an electric utility distribution system under applicable requirements.
GS-CONCEPT-054 - Interconnection agreement
FERC’s Small Generator Interconnection Agreement is a model agreement between a Transmission Provider and an Interconnection Customer governing how a Small Generating Facility interconnects with and operates in parallel with the provider’s transmission system.
GS-CONCEPT-055 - Permission to operate
Permission to operate is a utility's authorization for an interconnected customer system to begin operating under the utility's stated conditions after required project steps are complete.
GS-CONCEPT-056 - Photovoltaic export limit
A photovoltaic export limit is a configured or contractual maximum on power delivered from a customer photovoltaic system to the utility grid.
GS-CONCEPT-057 - Non-export photovoltaic system
A non-export photovoltaic system is designed or controlled so electricity is not intentionally delivered from the customer site to the utility grid under the applicable interconnection arrangement.
GS-CONCEPT-058 - Distributed energy resource
A distributed energy resource is a comparatively small generation, storage, demand-response, efficiency, thermal-storage, or similar resource connected on a distribution system or behind a customer meter.
GS-CONCEPT-059 - Behind-the-meter generation
Behind-the-meter generation is electricity generation located on the customer side of the utility billing meter or other defined customer-grid boundary.
GS-CONCEPT-060 - Point of common coupling
Under SDG&E Rule 21, the point of common coupling is the electricity transfer point between the utility's electrical conductors and the producer's electrical conductors.
GS-CONCEPT-185 - Point of interconnection
Under SDG&E Rule 21, the point of interconnection is where interconnection facilities connect to the utility's distribution or transmission system; it may or may not coincide with the point of common coupling.
GS-CONCEPT-186 - Utility interconnection facilities
Utility interconnection facilities are the facilities used to interconnect a generating facility under Rule 21, which may be integral to or separate from that facility.
GS-CONCEPT-187 - Utility distribution system
The utility distribution system is the portion of SDG&E's electric system used to distribute electricity as defined by Electric Rule 21.
GS-CONCEPT-188 - Nominal operating voltage
Nominal operating voltage is an editorial compound label used here to discuss Rule 21's defined term Nominal; it is not itself a defined Rule 21 tariff term.
GS-CONCEPT-189 - Voltage regulation
Voltage regulation is the reliability function of maintaining voltage within an acceptable range on an electric power system, as described in FERC's Reliability Primer.
GS-CONCEPT-190 - Reactive power
Reactive power is the portion of electricity that establishes and sustains the electric and magnetic fields of alternating-current equipment.
GS-CONCEPT-191 - Power factor
Power factor is the ratio of real power in kilowatts to apparent power in kilovolt-amperes for a given load and time.
GS-CONCEPT-192 - Volt-VAR control
Volt-VAR is a DER control mode that adjusts reactive-power output as a function of voltage, as described in NREL’s workshop presentation on IEEE 1547-2018 capabilities.
GS-CONCEPT-193 - Volt-Watt control
Volt-Watt is a DER control mode that limits maximum active power as a function of voltage, as described in NREL’s workshop presentation on IEEE 1547-2018 capabilities.
GS-CONCEPT-194 - Frequency-Watt control
Frequency-Watt control is a real-power-versus-frequency curve described in NREL's technical report.
GS-CONCEPT-195 - Ride-through capability
Ride-through capability describes a DER capability for voltage or frequency abnormal conditions in NREL's technical report.
GS-CONCEPT-196 - Anti-islanding protection
Anti-islanding protection is the Rule 21 tariff concept addressing an unintentional island, without establishing compliance for any specific device.
GS-CONCEPT-197 - Smart-inverter function profile
Smart-inverter function profile is GeoStellar's editorial grouping for the function-related settings listed in SDG&E Rule 21 Table Hh-4; it is not a Rule 21-defined national profile.
GS-CONCEPT-198 - Smart-inverter commissioning settings
Smart-inverter commissioning settings is GeoStellar's editorial term for applicable settings verified through the Rule 21 commissioning-testing process.
GS-CONCEPT-199 - Interconnection application
An interconnection application is the Rule 21 application and interconnection request that starts the utility's review process.
GS-CONCEPT-200 - Interconnection study
An interconnection study is a Rule 21 process for evaluating distribution-system impacts, facilities, and upgrades for an interconnection request.
GS-CONCEPT-201 - Hosting capacity
Hosting capacity is planning information from integration-capacity analysis, which Resolution E-5440 addresses through utility remediation plans and baseline reporting.
GS-CONCEPT-202 - Export control mode
Export control mode is an interconnection configuration that uses Rule 21 non-export or limited-generation-profile options to constrain grid export.
GS-CONCEPT-203 - Smart meter
A smart meter is commonly discussed within EIA's advanced-metering range, from basic hourly interval meters to real-time meters with two-way communication.
GS-CONCEPT-204 - Advanced metering infrastructure
Advanced metering infrastructure is one of the metering technologies reported in EIA-861 data, alongside automated meter reading and standard meters.
GS-CONCEPT-205 - Interval meter
In SDG&E Rule 1, an interval meter records usage in 15-minute-or-less intervals for that tariff definition.
GS-CONCEPT-206 - Net load
In EIA's battery-storage analysis, net load is system load minus nondispatchable wind and solar generation within that analysis boundary.
GS-CONCEPT-207 - Household load profile
A household load profile is an hourly or subhourly time series of electric-load values in kilowatts for a building.
GS-CONCEPT-208 - Load control
Direct load control is EIA's narrow demand-side-management category in which utility system-operator control can interrupt consumer load at annual peak.
GS-CONCEPT-209 - Demand response
EIA defines demand response programs as incentive-based programs that encourage customers to temporarily reduce demand at certain times in exchange for lower electricity bills. Some programs permit direct operator control, while others leave control with the customer.
GS-CONCEPT-210 - Distributed energy resource provider
In CAISO's tariff, a Distributed Energy Resource Provider is the owner or operator of one or more Distributed Energy Resource Aggregations that participates in CAISO markets in that capacity.
GS-CONCEPT-211 - Distributed energy resource aggregation
In CAISO's tariff, a Distributed Energy Resource Aggregation is a resource made up of one or more distributed energy resources.
GS-CONCEPT-212 - Ancillary service
FERC says ancillary services help keep the grid stable and resilient by maintaining frequency, reducing voltage fluctuations, helping prevent outages, and responding to sudden changes.
GS-CONCEPT-213 - Frequency regulation service
FERC's Energy Primer describes frequency regulation as automatic changes in selected resources' output that follow very short-term load changes to maintain system frequency.
GS-CONCEPT-214 - Voltage support
FERC's ancillary-services overview describes voltage support as maintaining electrical voltage within safe operating limits so equipment works properly.
GS-CONCEPT-215 - Critical peak pricing
Critical peak pricing uses higher prices during a limited number of critical hours.
GS-CONCEPT-216 - Real-time pricing
FERC's Energy Primer describes real-time pricing as charging customers prices that reflect the immediate cost of power.
GS-CONCEPT-217
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