Renewable energy resources such as solar and wind, are currently being deployed to meet the requirements of increased energy demand, reduction of GHG emissions, and achieve socio-economic benefits for sustainable development. A major aspect of the BESS deployment is the integration with renewable energy resources into the current power distribution, paving the way to microgrid.
Microgrid, a multi-faceted energy management and protection and control system is essential for optimal use of these distributed energy resources in intelligent, secure, reliable, and coordinated ways. To effectively manage the volatility and intermittency of renewable energy resources and load demand, various uncertainty quantification methods have already been developed by leading commercial entities. The major difficulty integrating BESS in most existing electrical installations has to do with the age of the equipment, hence the lack of any monitoring and control capabilities. Another challenge is developing a communication system that can talk to all aged IEDs.
Microgrid Architecture
In both grid-connected and islanded modes, each DER is connected with power electronic interface to achieve control, metering, and protection objectives together with an ability of a plug and play feature. The microgrid system ProWatts Energy develops includes: Grid Interface, Battery Energy Storage, Renewable energy resources( Solar, Wind), Diesel electric power generation, Electric Vehicle Chargers.
Microgrid Classification
Within the microgrid architecture development, the following primary classifications are considered for development: AC and DC Power Type, Decentralized Supervisory Control, Protection and control, Islanded and Grid connected, Three phase systems, Commercial or Communities.
Communication
Efficient data communication system is needed for continuous, fast, reliable, and accurate transfer of information among sensors, Power Controllers and Microgrid Controller without any disturbances and disconnections. Wired technologies have higher data transmission rate and reliability but at expense of high installation cost. Wireless technologies can be easily deployed with lesser installation cost and depending on existing infrastructure, could be better candidates as compared to wired ones.
Microgrid Advanced Energy Management System
The International Electrotechnical Commission in the standard IEC 61970, related to EMS application program interface in power systems management, defines an EMS as “a computer system comprising a software platform providing basic support services and a set of applications providing the functionality needed for the effective operation of electrical generation and transmission facilities so as to assure adequate security of energy supply at minimum cost”. Microgrid control system additionally include modules to perform decision making strategies. Data Acquisition hardware modules deployed by ProWatts Energy in DER or for Utility integration for measurement of basic power parameters, Volts and Amps makes it available for Data Monitoring and digital inputs and outputs for controls.