Distributed Generation Capabilities of the National Energy Modeling System

Abstract

This report describes Berkeley Lab's exploration of how the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) models distributed generation (DG) and presents possible approaches for improving how DG is modeled.Berkeley Lab has previously completed research on distributed energy resources (DER) adoption atindividual sites and has developed a DER Customer Adoption Model called DER-CAM. Given interest inthis area, Berkeley Lab set out to understand how NEMS models small-scale on-site generation toassess how adequately DG is treated in NEMS, and to propose improvements or alternatives. The goal is to determine how well NEMS models the factors influencing DG adoption and to consider alternativesto the current approach.