Energetics authored and published two leading reports for the energy industry that outline the need for testing fault current limiters (FCL), devices that act as a surge protector for the electric grid. The Energetics coauthored report, An Assessment of Fault Current Limiter Testing Requirements (PDF 371 KB), has made significant contributions to the energy field by serving as the first report to analyze the testing requirements of fault current limiters versus the testing facility capabilities. The second related Energetics report, Fault Current Limiters – Research and Development Status and Testing Issues (PDF 177 KB), identifies specific testing requirements for the FCL devices and reviews assessments on the existing capabilities of testing facilities in the United States and internationally.

Prototype FCL devices are undergoing testing with the aim of market-ready devices making their debut in the transmission and distribution system in the next five years. As these devices move through the research, development, and demonstration process, there are questions about whether the capabilities of commercial transmission and distribution equipment testing facilities are adequate to meet technology- and market-readiness goals.

Transmission and distribution equipment testing facilities can provide voltage and current to adequately test FCLs at the distribution level, but there is no place that has the capabilities to test FCLs at transmission-level current and voltage levels simultaneously.

The Energetics report, Fault Current Limiters – Research and Development Status and Testing Issues (PDF 177 KB), was published in the proceedings for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – Power Energy Society. Energetics authors Ndeye K. Fall and Brian Marchionini presented their report at the meeting held March 15-19 2009, in Seattle, WA.