Geza Joos, McGill University www.smart-microgrid.ca

• Geographically delimited
• Connected to the main grid at one point
– fed from one substation
• May operate islanded
• Includes distributed generation (DG)
– renewables (inverter interfaced): wind, solar
– fossil fuel based (synchronous generators): CHP
• Includes an energy management system
– controlling power exchanges, generation and load
– with storage and demand response

• Generation close to the load – siting
• Advantages/benefits
– Green energy – reduced environmental impact
– Enhanced reliability and flexibility
– Energy cost – competiveness (generated/delivered)
• New issues/differences
– Output variability – energy and power (ramp rates)
– Not schedulable/controllable – must run at MPPT
– Impacts – power quality (voltage variations, ramp rates)
– Grid integration and operational impact (loading, faults)
– Responsibility – maintenance, faulted operation

• Business proposition for the microgrid owner
– Economic justification – kW cost, reliability, resiliency
– Participation in market/energy supply
• Ownership
– Private/IPP
– Utility
• Role and benefit for utilities
– Grid support – impact on the transmission system
– Role in power system restoration
• Operational/regulatory issues
– Responsibilities and jurisdiction – right to disconnect

• Smarter distributed energy resources (DER)
• More communications between DER
• New grid topologies
– from point to point (generation to load) to distribution supply points,
– from radial to looped
• Active DER – voltage/Var regulation
– Note: not all of the smart distribution grid technologies are necessary/applicable to smart microgrids

• Business case
– Justifying the setting up of a new microgrid, optimizing operation, configuring existing distribution systems into microgrids, regulatory issues
• Energy supply security
• Load management and demand response
– Making better use of the energy resources
• Case studies – benchmarks, typical systems and use cases

• Isolated/offline microgrids
– Remote communities – reducing the cost of electric energy, reliability, environment impact – Canada north
– Remote and movable military bases – supply security
• Industrial, community and commercial microgrids
– Large campuses – GHG reduction (green energy), energy independence – grid support and energy exchanges – BCIT
– Military bases – alternative energy supply, benefits of storage (EVs)

• Cost-benefits framework – secondary benefits and ancillary services
– Lead: G Joos, McGill University
– HQPs: 2 MEng and 1 PhD (equivalent full time); total trained: 3 MEng, 2 PhD
• Energy and supply security considerations
– Lead: R Iravani, University of Toronto
– HQPs: 2 MEng and 1 PhD (equivalent full time); total trained: 2 MEng, 4 PhD

• Demand response technologies and strategies – energy management and metering
– Lead: K Bhattacharya, University of Waterloo
– HQPs: 2 MEng and 1 PhD (equivalent full time); total trained: 5 MEng, 3 PhD
• Integration design guidelines and performance metrics
– Organization to be determined

• Methodology for cost-benefit analysis of microgrids (P2.1)
– Application to remote communities
• Microgrids energy management (P2.2)
– Quantification of impacts and benefits of the microgrid and electrically-close multiple microgrids
• Demand response (P2.3)
– Load models, taking into account temporal and locational electricity prices, for demand management

• NRCan
– P2.1 – remote communities, business cases (on going)
– P2.3 – demand response (on going)
• Hydro-Quebec/IREQ
– P2.1 – remote communities (on going)
• BC Hydro
– P2.1 – business cases (discussions)
• Hydro One
– P2.3 – demand response management (on going)
• Schneider Electric
– P2.3 – demand response controller (potential)

• CYME
– P2.2 – network simulation
– P2.4 – benchmarks and use cases (potential)
• Manitoba HVDC
– P2.2 – network simulation, BCIT microgrid (on going)
– P2.4 – benchmarks and use cases (potential)

• Theme 1
– P2.1 with P1.4 – remote communities (on going)
– P2.1 with P1.1 – control of DER (on going)
• Theme 3
– P2.1 with P3.4 – operation of the grid (discussions)
– P2.2 with P3.2 – operation of microgrid (potential)
– P2.1 with P3.2 – energy management (potential)
• Within Theme 2
– P2.1 with P2.3 – demand response (potential)
– P2.2, P2.2 with P2.4 – models, benchmarks (potential)

• Deliverables include
– Methodologies for evaluating business cases
– Control approaches for the operation microgrids – DER control and energy management
– Configuration of microgrids and interaction between microgrids – evaluation towards an intelligent distribution grid
• Differences with other jurisdictions
– Distribution system configuration (single phase feeders)
– Urban, rural and remote microgrids have differing requirements
– European microgrid solutions do not generally apply