Economic Analysis
Tennessee Technological University
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Smart Grid Lab
Battery Storage
Economic Analysis
We harness the power of data analytics to help our members make informed decisions about managing their assets and planning for economic load dispatch. We aim to help our members work smarter by making informed decisions that improve their operational efficiencies, driving down costs, and reducing carbon emissions.
We use data to help our members analyze the value and viability of projects, and by bringing partners together we see projects from concept to completion. Most recently, we prepared proposals for a mid-scale solar farm for three industrial customers in East Tennessee and built a business case for a community solar farm in Knoxville. Our services included business case development, financial modeling, lease preparation, resolution of right-of-way issues, and in the case of the Knoxville solar farm, developing the documentation needed for approval through TVPPA’s Flexibility Research Project.
Tennessee Technological University
Seven States Power, along with a group of their strategic partners, won an EV-related grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to add even more chargers to the region’s EV network.
Seven States – and strategic partners Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Nissan and ChargePoint – were joined by Tennessee Technological University, the University of Texas at Austin, Lighting Systems, East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency and Lyft in applying for the DOE grant, which runs through 2022.
The DOE project seeks to provide an alternative-fuel proof of concept in regions where those alternative fuels are not yet in play. The terms of the grant shared by the Seven States group call for Tennessee Technological University to receive $780,000 from the DOE; that money will be combined with additional matching funds, making the total value of the project $1.56 million. The grant funds will be used to develop an EV testbed in Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland region. This testbed will significantly grow the number of EV chargers available to owners of electric vehicles in the Tennessee Valley.
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Along with Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB), a Seven States Power member, we partnered with the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) on a student-led electric vehicle (EV) research project in Spring 2020. Now, we are working with KUB and UTK on phase 2 of that project.
Earlier this year, we charged four groups of students in UTK’s Health Integrated Business & Engineering Program with developing a business plan for electric vehicle charging infrastructure on the college campus. We served as industry experts, providing information and experience to the teams as they conducted surveys, studied maps of the electric grid, designed charging infrastructure, evaluated vendors and developed revenue streams to justify the proposed installation.
The teams, which included engineering and business students working together, designed solutions that demonstrated a strong understanding of the technology and the business case for rapid deployment of it. Now, just a few months later, we are working with UTK students to build the planned infrastructure, which will include chargers at two or more locations. KUB and Seven States Power are excited to work with students on EV charger installations this Fall, and we look forward to future student-led research projects with the University.
Smart Grid Lab
Seven States Power is building a load management simulation laboratory that will enable us to show members how DER Management System (DERMS) software works in real-time, and to discuss the capabilities it offers those seeking to manage costs by filling valleys and shaving peaks. The simulation laboratory will be used to perform hands-on research and demonstrate various integrated technologies.
Through the lab, members have the ability to operate integrated distributed energy resources and demonstrate device control within the Seven States Power building. DERMS software will enable real-time access to Aggregated Demand Response (ADR) to observe performance and functionality.
Phase 1 of the lab is complete with the implementation of DERMS, installation of a smart thermostat and water heater control, and electric vehicle charger integration. The next phase of lab development includes the addition of load forecasting capabilities, battery storage and controllable lighting. A full-scale build-out is scheduled for completion in early 2021.
Schedule a Tour
Laboratory tours will be available when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it is deemed appropriate to reopen our offices. Please contact any of our team members to schedule a tour of the lab, or email us at info@7spc.com.Battery Storage
Battery storage will be an integral part of solar capacity and microgrids in the future, so Seven States is particularly interested in how it combines with other technologies. Our team installed three 13.5 kwh Powerwall batteries for use in our Smart Grid Lab. The units are flat, wall-mounted lithium-ion batteries that store electricity for solar self-consumption, time of use load shifting, backup power, and off-the-grid use. The modular system offers the flexibility to add multiple batteries for homes or businesses with high energy demands. Part of the testing includes a new load forecasting function that will automatically dispatch the batteries for optimal cost savings based on the building load and the electricity rates. For residential, distribution and utility-scale, we are exploring battery operation, maintenance, performance and product options. Financing and leasing options are available and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
