--- title: Grid Integration Projects description: Grid Integration --- [![cmi-usa](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hubfs/cmi-usa.svg "cmi-usa")](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/?hsLang=en) [![subtext-2](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/subtext-2.png?width=660&height=42&name=subtext-2.png "subtext-2")](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/?hsLang=en) - [Fraunhofer USA](http://www.fraunhofer.org) - [![](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/boston_univ_rgb.gif?width=67&height=30&name=boston_univ_rgb.gif)](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/boston-university.html?hsLang=en) - [DOING BUSINESS WITH US](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/Doing-business-with-us.html?hsLang=en) - [PROJECTS](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/projects-our-work.html?hsLang=en) - [CAREERS](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/career.html?hsLang=en) - [About Us](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us.html) - [Mission](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/Mission.html) - [Business Model](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/business-model.html) - [Leadership](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/leadership.html) - [Fraunhofer Network](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/fraunhofer-network.html) - [Boston University](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/boston-university.html) - [Facilities](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/Facilities.html) - [Careers](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/about-us/career.html) - [Services](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services.html) - [Custom Automation Systems](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/custom-automation-systems.html) - [Energy Systems](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/energy-systems.html) - [Biomedical Instruments and Devices](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/biomedical-instruments-and-devices.html) - [Process Management and Consulting](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/process-management-and-consulting.html) - [Industries](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/Industries.html) - [Publications](https://www.fraunhofer.org/en/media/publications-and-annual-reports1.html) - [News](https://www.fraunhofer.org/en/media/press.html) - [Contact](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/contact.html) # Grid Integration Projects ![Grid-Header-CSE-6927](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Grid-Header-CSE-6927.png?width=1439&name=Grid-Header-CSE-6927.png "Grid-Header-CSE-6927") The Grid Integration group accelerates the development, commercialization, and deployment of technologies that will enable our power distribution infrastructure to operate with greater reliability, efficiency, security, responsiveness, at lower cost, and with higher levels of renewable energy generation. ### SHINES and SunDial** The U.S. Department of Energy selected a Fraunhofer USA-led team to carry out a $3.5M, three-year research project to design, develop, and demonstrate an integrated system of solar photovoltaic (PV), energy storage, and facility load management at the utility distribution scale in Massachusetts. Fraunhofer USA, with National Grid, IPKeys, and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), will match the award, contributing $3.5M towards the project. Currently, one of the biggest challenges facing utilities is how to integrate large quantities of PV production with the electric grid without compromising power reliability and quality. The Fraunhofer USA-led project, called “SunDial,” will create a management system that optimally manages facility loads and energy storage charging and discharging to mitigate potential problems due to intermittency and large ramps in PV power generation. SunDial will tightly integrate PV, energy storage, and aggregated facility load management to actively manage net system power flows to and from the feeder – regardless of whether these individual components are co-located at the same site, or distributed at different sites. Working together, these systems will address the two greatest issues currently inhibiting high-penetration of PV on the grid - the intermittency of PV generation and the mismatch between electric loads and electric generation. The project team, led by Fraunhofer USA, will create an open-source framework that builds upon existing interoperability data models to facilitate integration among PV plant developers, load aggregators, independent system operators and utilities across a range of use cases and business models. #### Project Objectives During this three-year project, Fraunhofer USA and partners will design, develop, and deploy a fully functional and integrated photovoltaic (PV), energy storage, and a facility load management system at the utility distribution scale. The demonstration will take place in Massachusetts and last at least one year. 1. Act as a dispatchable source of power generation; 2. Participate in current and future transactive energy markets; 3. Achieve an amortized lifetime cost that meets the DOE’s 2020 target of $0.14/kWh levelized cost of electricity, and 4. Achieve a round-trip solar energy efficiency of at least 90%. - [More about SHINES/SunDial](https://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/shines) ### Solid State Lighting Retrofit Project** #### Low-Cost, High Efficiency Integration of Solid-State Lighting and Building Controls using a Digital Electricity (DE) Power Distribution System ***Fraunhofer CSE in collaboration with VoltServer Inc.*** This project stems from a DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding secured by VoltServer Inc and aims to address multiple goals of the DOE’s Solid State Lighting Multi-Year Program Plan related to costs, efficiency and controls integration. The DOE estimates that there is tremendous potential for energy savings through adoption of Solid State Lighting (SSL). Energy efficient SSLs can deliver savings of up to 20% in 2020 and 46% in 2030. However, barriers to successful commercialization exist, inhibiting SSL use. At present, SSLs account for 2-3% of lighting sales, primarily for niche applications such as outdoor and street lighting. - SSL replacement lamps more expensive than equivalent CFLs or downlights - Performance and cost of LED driver circuitry: 15-20 % of the total cost and efficiency around 88% - Integration with buildings control: While being DC driven is a major advantage for integration, issues exist with integrating with legacy controls. Voltserver’s DE technology allows transmission of thousands of watts of power over standard communication cables. The safety features of the DE system allow it to be operated as an IEC 60950-21 compatible limited power source (“class 2”) without conduit and minimal licensed electrician involvement under NEC Articles 800 and 725. Unlike Power-Over-Ethernet (POE), range is not limited to 50 feet. DE can be transmitted over long distances without significant losses. - DE capable of embedding data signals directly onto the power distribution channel, enabling the system to be intrinsically safe and able to detect and arrest power faults rapidly. - DE protocol enables in-line communications that can be utilized for low cost control and monitoring integration. - Centralization of AC-DC conversion, reduces overall losses and costs   - More about the [Solid State Lighting Retrofit Project](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/services/projects-our-work/energy-systems/solid-state-lighting-retrofit.html?hsLang=en) ### Plug and Play PV Systems** The Grid Integration group accelerates the development, commercialization, and deployment of technologies that will enable our power distribution infrastructure to operate with greater reliability, efficiency, security, responsiveness, at lower cost, and with higher levels of renewable energy generation. Our team is currently engaged in a multi-year effort funded by the Department of Energy to develop both the technology and broader commercialization framework to realize a “Plug and Play PV" system that can be purchased, installed, and commissioned by homeowners without the need to engage outside consultants or contractors. The Grid Integration group supports the development and deployment of integrated energy systems and enabling technologies, from feasibility analysis to design optimization to system test, deployment, and data collection. We work together with the PV Technologies and the Building Energy Systems groups to fully realize the potential of tightly integrated distributed energy systems. This work leverages our expertise in renewable system integration, power conversion, intelligent control of generation and loads, and the power of information and communications technologies. - **Innovative “Plug & Play” PV System Design:** Integrating and demonstrating intrinsically safe, code-compliant technologies to enable low-cost rooftop PV installation - **Grid Integration of Renewables and Energy Storage: **Developing technologies and topologies to mitigate the impacts of high penetration renewables - **Energy Systems Integration: **Optimizing the interface between distributed generation, demand management, and building energy science - **Smart Grid: **Using control, communications, and distribution automation technologies to enable a smarter, more responsive power delivery system - **Microgrids:** Supporting commercialization of grid-connected, off-grid, and “virtual” microgrids through collaborative development of system design control platforms, and other enabling technologies The Grid Integration group supports the above-mentioned efforts by leveraging its capabilities and experience in the following domains: - **System Design and Feasibility Assessment **for deployment of distributed energy resources - **Field & Laboratory Testing, Validation, and Demonstration Support** of power conversion, smart grid, and distribution automation technologies - **Data Acquisition, Monitoring, and Control Solutions **for integrated energy systems in both real-world and laboratory contexts - **Policy & Technology Assessment **of systemic impacts of renewable generation, distributed energy resources, and smart grid technologies ### Related Links   - [Building Energy Systems Projects](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/services/projects-our-work/energy/buildings.html?hsLang=en) #### Work Examples Links - [**Biomedical Engineering Examples**](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/projects-our-work/biomedical.html?hsLang=en) - [**Custom Automation Examples**](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/projects-our-work/custom-automation.html?hsLang=en) - [**Process Management & Consulting Examples**](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/projects-our-work/process-management-and-consulting.html?hsLang=en) - [**Energy Systems Examples**](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/services/projects-our-work/energy-systems.html?hsLang=en) #### Contact ### ![MKromer2_95x120-3](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/MKromer2_95x120-3.png?width=95&name=MKromer2_95x120-3.png) #### Matt Kromer Senior Engineer Fraunhofer CMI 15 Saint Mary's Street MA 02446 Brookline, USA Phone +1 617-353-1895 - [Send email](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/contact/send-email/kroth?hsLang=en) - QUICK LINKS - [Contact](http://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/contact) - [Fraunhofer USA](http://www.fraunhofer.org) - [Fraunhofer ISE](https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en.html) - [Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft](http://www.fraunhofer.de/en.html) - © 2026 - [Site map](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/sitemap.html?hsLang=en) - [CONTACT](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/contact.html?hsLang=en) - [Data Protection](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/en/data_protection.html?hsLang=en)