Microgrid Technology: Enabling Energy Reliability and
Security – Opportunities in Campus, Commercial &
Industrial Communities
Ivette Sanchez, LEED AP
MAYA Smart Energy Consulting
Promoting Sustainability with Ingenuity
Agenda
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What is a microgrid?
Why microgrids?
Value proposition
Applications
Major components
Energy security considerations
Current cases
Summary
What is a Microgrid?
An integrated energy system intelligently managing interconnected loads and
distributed energy resources and capable of operating in parallel with, or
independently, from the existing utility’s grid.
Source: Horizon Energy Group
Why Microgrids?
• T&D over capacity and
expensive to fix or extend
– US businesses lose $80B to
$150B per year in revenues due
to power outages
• Electric and gas prices
fluctuations
• Power quality, efficiency &
reliability
• Cyber and physical security
• Technology innovation
– Distributed generation
– Renewable resources
– Demand Response
– Grid stability control
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Microgrid – Value Proposition
• Efficiency
– Reduce fuel consumption
– Supply close to demand minimize distribution losses
– Combined electricity and heat generation
• Reliability
– Optimally manage on-site energy resources 24/7
– Power quality and reliability at the local level
• Energy Security
– Ensure energy supply for critical loads utilizing on-site generation
– Grid independence capability
• Economic Savings
– Peak Shaving/Load shifting and supply management with demand response
– Enables hedging against energy cost fluctuation
– Reduction of cost of electricity with on-site generation and effective energy
management
• Sustainability
– Reduction of carbon footprint by integrating cleaner fuel resources
Microgrid – Applications
• Microgrid candidates
– Institutional/Campus sites –
Hospitals, Universities
– Commercial/Industrial facilities
– Remote “off grid” communities
– Military Bases
– Data Centers
– Municipalities
• Microgrids can vary in size (MW)
– Generation resources types
– Storage
– Advanced controls
• The investment can be
significant and ROI take years
Microgrid – Major Components
• Microgrid Master Controller
– Match load with generation – in both island mode or grid-connected
• Optimize integration, dispatching and control of DER and loads
• Ensure combination of DER improves economics
• Maintain reliability and manage frequency and voltage
– Real-time response and fault protection
– Connect and disconnect from the grid
– Predictive and forecasting analysis
Source: Lockheed Martin 2011
Microgrid – Major Components
• Fast and secure communication to monitor real-time network status
– Optimize operations and control of DERs & loads
– Connect to buildings via EMS/BAS
– Continuous monitor and trend microgrid components health
– Smart metering to obtain load and DERs profile
– Electricity pricing and demand response capabilities
– Continuous communication to utilities and energy markets
Source: ABB 2011
Microgrid – Major Costs Components
Source: DOE Microgrid Workshop 2011
Critical Situation
• Electric grid security impacts national security
– Critical national security and homeland defense missions are at unacceptably high
risk of extended outage from failure of the electric grid
– The ability of today’s warfighter to command, control, deploy, and sustain forces is
adversely impacted by a fragile, aging, and fossil fuel dependent electricity grid
posing a significant threat to national security
Source: Defense Science Board and DOD Energy Security
SPIDERS: Smart Power Infrastructure
Demonstration for Energy, Reliability & Security
• SPIDERS Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD)
– Main sponsors/funding: DoD, DOE & DHS
• To reduce the “unacceptably high risk” of extended electric grid outages by
developing the capability to “island” installations while maintaining
operational surety and security
Source: DoD
SPIDERS – JCTD Technologies
Source: DOD
SPIDERS Partners
Source: DoD
UC San Diego Campus
• Operates a 42 MW microgrid in parallel with the SDG&E grid
• 11 million ft2 of buildings
– Energy density (kWh/ft2/yr) is 2X of typical commercial
• Self generate approximately 90% of annual demand
– 30MW natural gas CHP plant
– 2.8 MW of fuel cell, 1.2 MW Solar PV
Source: UCSD, Viridity, Power Analytics & OSIsoft
UC San Diego Microgrid
• Renewable Energy Secure Communities (RESCO) $2M program
with CA Energy Commission
– Develop tariffs and incentives to balance cost/benefits to advance PV generation
– Advanced SmartGrid Power Management Systems for microgrids
– Optimizer re-scheduler platform for dynamic market signals allow optimization of
storage and supply
• Microgrid controller
– Typical real-time monitoring and control of resources functionalities
– Making load elastic/controllable/price-responsive
– Improve load participation in DR programs and energy markets
• New technologies
– Solar forecasting and storage control optimization
– Data interoperability and power flow status
Source: UCSD, Viridity, Power Analytics & OSIsoft
UC San Diego Microgrid Controller
Source: UCSD, Viridity, Power Analytics & OSIsoft
Mesa del Sol Microgrid
• Partners: Mesa del Sol, Nine Japanese companies, utility PNM, SNL,
Accenture and the University of New Mexico
• 78, 000 ft2 Aperture Center with 400 kW peak power requirement
• Generation Sources
– 80 kW fuel cells
– 50 kW PV system
– 240 kW gas-engine generator
– 90 kW battery system (160 kWh storage)
• Building Management System (BMS)
– Building can run on its power indefinitely in island mode
– Perform demand & supply adjustments within the building based on power demand
estimates
– Operates the power generation systems according to energy & heat demand within the
building itself
– Compensate for power output fluctuations in the PV system of the utility
Source: UCSD, Viridity, Power Analytics & OSIsoft
Microgrid – Summary
• Microgrid technology to solve energy security issues
– To maintain continuous mission critical operations
• Technology will migrate to the civilian/commercial applications
• Microgrid controller emerging design elements
– State Estimation
– Economic, reliability, environment (ERE) dispatch tools
– Energy arbitrage algorithms
• Challenges to overcome
– Continuous monitoring of power flow taking into account demand, thermal
production and renewable production
– Integration and interoperability of systems
Thank You!
Ivette Sanchez
Energy Solutions Director
ivette.sanchez@maya-smart.com
407-319-9990