Value and Technology Assessment to Enhance the Business Case for the CERTS Microgrid

Lasseter, Robert ; Eto, Joe

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

关键词: Testing;    Business;    Technology Assessment;    29;    Electricity;   

DOI  :  10.2172/983804
RP-ID  :  LBNL-3540E
RP-ID  :  DE-AC02-05CH11231
RP-ID  :  983804

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The CERTS Microgrid concept is an advanced approach for enabling integration of, in principle, an unlimited quantity of distributed energy resources into the electricity grid. A key feature of a microgrid, is its ability, during a utility grid disturbance, to separate and isolate itself from the utility seamlessly with no disruption to the loads within the microgrid (including no reduction in power quality). Then, when the utility grid returns to normal, the microgrid automatically resynchronizes and reconnects itself to the grid, in an equally seamless fashion. What is unique about the CERTS Microgrid is that it can provide this technically challenging functionality without extensive (i.e., expensive) custom engineering. In addition, the design of the CERTS Microgrid also provides high system reliability and great flexibility in the placement of distributed generation within the microgrid. The CERTS Microgrid offers these functionalities at much lower costs than traditional approaches by incorporating peer-to-peer and plug-and-play concepts for each component within the Microgrid. The predecessor to the current project involved the construction of and completion of initial testing using the world's first, full-scale, inverter-based, distributed generation test bed. The project demonstrated three advanced techniques, collectively referred to as the CERTS Microgrid concept, which collectively significantly reduce the level of custom field engineering needed to operate microgrids consisting of small generating sources. The techniques are: (1) a method for effecting automatic and seamless transitions between grid-connected and islanded modes of operation; (2) an approach to electrical protection within the microgrid that does not depend on high fault currents; and (3) a method for microgrid control that achieves voltage and frequency stability under both grid and islanded conditions without requiring high-speed communications. The work conducted in this phase of RD&D on the CERTS Microgrid Concept builds upon this base of technical accomplishments to prioritize, develop, and then demonstrate technology enhancements to further enhance the business case for microgrids. That is, having demonstrated the technical feasibility of microgrid functions, RD&D optimization efforts are now needed to accelerate commercial deployment. The current phase is a contribution to these efforts. This project involved seven distinct analysis, bench-, and full-scale testing tasks. The first five tasks were described in the original proposal submitted and awarded through DOE's solicitation. Two additional tasks were added to address issues that had been identified in the earlier, first phase of testing.