Electricity Transmission System Research and Development: Economic Analysis and Planning Tools: Transmission Innovation Symposium: Modernizing the U.S. Electric Grid, 2021 White Papers

This paper describes ongoing and future needs for concepts, methods, data, processes, and technologies to support comprehensive planning for U.S. electricity transmission to meet reliability, economic, sustainability, and other policy goals. We focus specifically on research and development (R&D) recommendations for transmission economic analysis and planning. The intertwined relationships of all assets in the power system mandate full exploration of technologies and systems beyond the transmission system. This paper will recognize how various bulk and distribution system components, as well as supply, storage, and demand-side resources, interact in achieving the above goals, and how emerging technologies can contribute. This paper reflects on current common practices, the state of the art, and justifications for our conclusions about what research is needed. R&D priorities are defined based on their potential to support a reliable, resilient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable grid system. The opportunities and constraints identified are intended to inform decisions about what R&D in transmission grid planning should be supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) over the next two decades.