An
EMerging Perspective:
Use of Solar
Generated LVDC
"The Case for Making Solar Mainstream in
Commercial Buildings."
Power
Reinventing Building Power
A Non-profit Alliance Creating Standards for use of Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid Power in Buildings
EMerge Alliance. All rights reserved.
INTERCONNECTED SOLAR SOURCED
MICROGRIDS: THE ENERNET
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WHY?
WHAT?
HOW?
EARLY ADOPTERS
WE’RE AT A TIME OF INCREASING CHALLENGES TO OUR
POWER SYSTEMS: FROM POINTS OF GENERATION - TO
POINTS OF USE - AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Solar sourced Microgrids can capture the key
virtues of the Internet using a similar topology
Virtues
1
2
3
4
Presumption of Access Equality of Each Entity
Bottom-Up Public Structure
Strength of ‘Weak’ Transactive Cooperation
Self Organizing Self Healing = Resilient
Solar sourced Microgrids will create a massively
distributed mesh network of system sources, storage
and loads
Estimated # of Interconnected Nodes
Internet
Smart Grid
Enernet
1970
50,000
37,000
37,000
Today
7,500,000,000
500,000
1,700,500,000
A Residential Microgrid Operates
Independently or in Cooperation with Other Grids
Residences:
• Personal Power System
• Operate on or off grid(s)
• Under the owner’s total control
• Conducts power transactions by choice
• Basic infrastructure node in the Enernet
A Residential Solar Sourced Microgrid Operates
Independently or in Cooperation with Other Grids
Includes:
• Site Based Solar Energy Production
• Electricity Storage
• Co-located Loads – Appliances, Devices
• Intergrid Connection
Home Microgrids can be Ener-connected
into Community Microgrids
Commercial “Building Level” Microgrids are Similar
Commercial:
• Corporate Power System
• Operate on or off grid(s)
• Under the owner’s total control
• Conducts power transactions by choice
• Basic infrastructure node in the Enernet
Commercial “Building Level” Microgrids are Similar
Includes:
• Site Based Solar and Wind Energy
Harvesting/Production
• Electricity Storage
• Co-located Loads – Appliances, Devices
• Intergrid Connection
Power Storage & Control
Office & Occupied Space
Factory or Warehouse
Data Center
Commercial Building Microgrids can be
Ener-connected into Commercial Campus Microgrids
Community & Commercial Microgrids can be
Ener-connected with Utility-Scale Microgrids
Peaking
Power Plant
Community
Microgrids
Solar Farm
Sub-station
Commercial
Campus
Microgrid
Sub-station
Wind Farm
Utility Microgrids can be Ener-connected
into the ‘Smart-Grid’
Base Load
Power Plant
Utility
Microgrids
Utility
Microgrids
Utility
Microgrids
Base Load
Power Plant
Base Load
Power Plant
Utility
Microgrids
Base Load
Power Plant
The
ENERNET
Base Load
Power Plant
Utility
Microgrids
Utility
Microgrids
Utility
Microgrids
Base Load
Power Plant
Base Load
Power Plant
Utility
Microgrids
Base Load
Power Plant
Nanogrids, Microgrids and Macrogrids are
Organized into an Increasingly
Expansive and Inclusive Tiered Framework
The ENERNET
Macrogrids
Microgrids
National
Regional
Community
Campus
Tier 3
Tier 2
Building
Nanogrids
Level, Room, Device
Area
Tier 1
Transforming Traditional Power Grids
to an ENERNET Mesh Topology:
• Increases availability of clean energy from massively distributed solar and
other renewable sources
• Improves, reliability and independence/security of electric energy
• Maintains the intrinsic value of the bulk power ‘Smart Grid’
• Improves ability to provide low cost electricity in underserved markets
• Provides an open, horizontal environment for energy innovation, new
applications and new business models involving energy production, storage,
and use
• Lowers the risk of future investments in power infrastructure
75+ Test, Beta, & Production Sites
Commercial, Residential, Data Center Applications
NextHome
Campion Homes
Detroit. MI
380Vdc Data Center
Zurich, Switzerland
New Construction Bldg – 4,400 m2
• ABB Power Distribution
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In: 16KV AC
Out: 1MW @ 380Vdc
Battery Backup: 10 mins
Backup Generation
• 1,100m2 of 3,300m2 Vdc
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HP 2U, Blades & Storage Servers
• Demonstrated Benefits
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10%+ Better Energy Efficiency, 1.18 PUE
15% Lower Capital Cost
25% Smaller Footprint
20% Lower Installation Costs
380Vdc
16KVac
Rectifier
3Ø
Battery Storage
Datacenter
Servers
Photos courtesy of ABB* and HP*
AC/DC Hybrid Data Center Demo
Princeton, New Jersey
Deep Renovation of
existing 600,000 SF 2
Floor Bldg.
• 380 Volt dc bus
architecture
• 50,000sf of 380Vdc DC
Energized Racks
• 24v DC LED Lighting
• Wireless Lighting
PWM/IPv6 Controls
• Control Phase I Early 2015
• Scalable design saved
50% CapEx.
• Stage II includes on-site
solar farm (site has 110
acres of open field).
• Future ENERNET Node.
LVDC Nanogrid - Lighting
Middletown, Pennsylvania USA
DC Lighting +
Energized Ceiling
Grid
• Full energized top
and bottom rails of
suspended ceiling
• 10,000sf of
DC Lighting
• Traditional design /
bid / build process
• Installation time
was reduced to
50% vs. Traditional
ac system
• Stage II solar ready
• Future ENERNET
Node
LVDC Nanogrid - Lighting
Detroit, Michigan
3 Floors of Class A
Office Space
• 14th Floor:
T8 Fluorescent – No
Controls
• 15th Floor:
LED Retro Tube – No
controls
• 16th Floor:
LED Retro Tube – W SKY
controls
• Dramatic Energy
Savings
75%!
• Future ENERNET node.
Solar Powered LVDC Lighting Nanogrid
Dearborn, Michigan
Deep
Renovation of
7 Story Office
Bldg.
• 110,000sf of 24v DC
LED Lighting
• 70,000sf of DC
Energized Ceiling
• Wireless Lighting
Control
• Stage I Completed
Late 2014
• Direct Coupled®
Solar planned for
Stage II
Whole Building DC Microgrids
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Zero Building Designed
10, 000 SF
• Low Voltage dc LED Fixtures
DC
PHOTOVOLTAICS
• Power directly from onsite solar
DIFFUSED
DAYLIGHTING
DC PHOTOVOLTAICS
DC FLEXZONE CEILING, LED
LIGHTING & OCCUPANCY
SENSORS
ENERGY RECOVERY UNIT
VEGETATIVE WALL
NATIVE PLANTS,
IRRIGATION &
GROUNDWATER
INFILTRATION
• 50% less Energy than
equivalent Branch Bank
• Net Zero Building
• Future ENERNET Node
PNC Financial Services Group Inc. announced the debut of its new netzero energy bank branch during first quarter 2013 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
PNC branch exceeds LEED Platinum certification and is PNC’s most energy
efficient building, using 50 percent less energy than a typical branch.
DC Microgrid Click & Brick Integration
Cold Spring Kentucky
Five stores have 600 kW solar capacity = 750,000
kWh/yr. Newest is 200 kW in Los Alamos, New
Mexico. Clackamas Distribution Center in Oregon has
a 500 kWh capacity, about 10% of building’s power.
Total solar production in 2014 was
approximately 2.4 million kWh.
Building/Campus AC/DC Microgrids
Detroit, Michigan
Greenbuild 2015
Solar Power International 2016
Washington DC
CONVENTION CENTER
A part of the HOW: Standards
Connecting the Dots…
E.J. CURTIS
ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nicholson & Sun
LLC
Standards Organizations We Work with to Advance DC
Microgrid Technology / Use
System Application Standards
Standards Activity
Issued
Issued
Issued Nov. 2015
Draft
New in 2015
Forming
Pending
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Commercial Building Occupied Space
Data Center & Central Office
Task Level (desktop & plug loads)
Whole Building Microgrids
Residential & Light Commercial
Retail/Specialty
Bldg. Services (HVAC) / Outdoor/EV Charging
The Enernet:
Flexible, clean, efficient, resilient, affordable
and sustainable energy infrastructure
Definition:
“Enernet" refers to the global power system that -- (i) is logically linked together by a
globally unique intergrid connection scheme applied at the points of common
connection between grids; (ii) is able to support transactionally based flow control
protocols based on the principles of free-market trade to achieve a balance of the
supply and demand for electricity; and (iii) provides, uses or makes accessible, either
publicly or privately, high level services included with the electric power infrastructure
described herein.
www.EMergeAlliance.org
Thank You !
