Microgrids and the grid interaction

Microgrids could have a grid interconnection to

Improve system economics
Improve operation
Improve availability
With a suitable planning, grid planning can benefit from having
microgrids by
Reducing conductors size
Improving availability
Improving stability
Tools, strategies and techniques for an effective integration of a
microgrid into the main grid:
Net metering bi-directional power flow.
Peak shaving
Advanced communications and controls
Demand response (?)
1

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Interconnection practice / recommendation: IEEE standard 1547

Potential issues with microgrids integration into the main grid:

Infrastructure long term planning / economics:
There is no coordination in planning the grid and
microgrids.
The grid is planned on a long term basis considering
traditional loads.
Microgrids may pop-up afterwards without notice.
Grids planning links economic (cost of grids electricity,
future demand..) and technical aspects (line congestion.)
Stability: microgrids are variable loads with positive and
negative impedance (they can act to the grid as generators)

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

More potential issues with microgrids integration into the main grid:
Safety: When there is a fault in the grid, power from the
microgrid into the grid should be interrupted (islanding)
Availability: Microgrids can trigger protections (directional
relays) upstream in the grid and interrupt service to other loads

Key issue: microgrids are supposed to be independently controlled

cells within the main grid.
How much independence microgrids should have?
Does independence apply also to planning?
How much interaction / communications should be
between the grid and the microgrid?
3

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Example of microgrid development. Initial condition.
Equipment and
financial planning is
done with all the load
in the figure in mind.

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Example of microgrid development. Planning issues. A microgrid is installed few years
later.

Transformers
and
conductors
can now be
oversized
(remember
this aspect
for PEV and
PHEV
integration)

Microgrids area
5

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Example of microgrid development. Initial normal power flow direction

Directional
Relay

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Example of microgrid operational issues. New power flow with a microgrid.
The microgrids
power trips open the
directional relay
Is it possible to
change the grids
state fast enough to
prevent voltage
collapse due to loss
of stability caused by
the sudden load
changes introduced
by the microgrid?

Directional
Relay

What microgrids
control action
follows?
Can the microgrid
stop injecting power
back into the grid
(i.e. prevents
islanding)?
Microgrids area

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Example of microgrid operation. Islanding.
If islanding occurs
the microgrid will
continue to provide
power to a portion of
the grid even though
the grid connection
upstream has been
interrupted.
Potential issues:
Utility crews
safety.
Power quality
at the energized
portion could be
poor. Loads
could be
damaged.

Island

Microgrids area
8

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

Grid interconnection might be different for dc or ac microgrids
For ac microgrids, grid interconnection can be done directly, with a
disconnect switch, and a transformer only.
For dc microgrids an inverter is necessary
Examples:

CERTS microgrid (ac)

9

NTT Facilities Sendai project (ac and dc)

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Microgrids and the grid interaction

dc microgrids integration with the grid

The interface may or may not allow for bidirectional power flow.
Bidirectional power flow can be needed for:
`Energy storage
dc loads
10

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grids
There are two similar but not equal approaches to the smart grid
concept.

EU-led vision (customer and environmentally driven):

Europes electricity networks in 2020 and beyond will be:
Flexible: Fulfilling customers needs whilst responding to the
changes and challenges ahead;
Accessible: Granting connection access to all network users,
particularly for renewable energy sources and high efficiency
local generation with zero or low carbon emissions;
Reliable: Assuring and improving security and quality of supply,
consistent with the demands of the digital age;
Economic: Providing best value through innovation, efficient
energy management and level playing field competition and
regulation.
European Technology Platform SmartGrids. Vision and Strategy for Europes Electricity Networks of the Future
European Commission KI-NA-22040-EN-C EUR 22040

11

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grids
US led vision (security
and consumer driven)

- Motivated by needs in
availability improvements

The NETL Modern Grid Initiative A VISION FOR THE MODERN GRID, US DOE

12

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

The smart grid concept

There are many views of what is In reality, a smart grid is not a single
concept but rather a combination of technologies and methods intended
to modernize the existing grid in order to improve flexibility, availability,
energy efficiency, and costs.
Smart Grid 1.0:
Intelligent meters
Smart Grid 2.0 (Energy Internet
enabler):
advanced autonomous controls,
distributed energy storage,
distributed generation, and
flexible power architectures.
Distributed generation (DG), flexible power architectures, autonomous
controls and loads constitute local low-power grids (micro-grids).
13

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grid evolution: dull

past/present

Centralized
operation and
control

Passive
transmission and
distribution.
Lack of flexibility

Vulnerable

14

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grid evolution: present/immediate

Still
primarily centralized
future
control.
Limited active distribution
network (distributed local
generation and storage). Use
of virtual storage (demandresponse)
Addition of communication
systems
More efficient loads

Flexibility issues
Somewhat more robust
15

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grid evolution: Future

Distributed operation
and control

Active distribution
network (distributed local
generation and storage).
Integrated
communications
Advanced more efficient
loads
Flexible
More robust
16

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grids
Technologies and concepts:
Distributed energy resources (generation and storage) are
fundamental parts. They provide the necessary active characteristics
to an otherwise passive grid.
Advanced and distributed communications. All the grid components
are able to communicate. The grid operates like a power-Internet
(distributed, multiple-redundant, interactive and autonomous). I.e. a
Power-Net.
Intelligent metering.

Policies and regulatory actions. Necessary to achieve integration of

all the parts. Inadequate pricing models is a significant barrier to
introduce service-based business models (vs. energy-based).
Grid modernization.
17

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

The Power-Net
DOE view for a smart grid:
- An electrical grid is a network of
technologies that delivers
electricity from power plants to
consumers in their homes and
offices.

A Power-Net expands this

view based on paradigms
from the Internet.
Some features compared with
conventional power grids:
more reliable, efficient, and
flexible.

18

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

The Power-Net
Like the Internet, the Power-Net
involves diverse and redundant
path for the power to flow from
distributed generators to users.
Its control resides in autonomous
distributed agents.
Power is generated in distributed
generators, usually from
alternative or renewable energy
sources. Power buffers are
included to match generators
and loads dynamics. Energy
buffers are added to make
variable sources dispatchable.
Contrary to the Internet, the
Power-Net involves a local
approach for power interactions.
19

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

The Internet
Desired Internet features:
distributed and autonomous control,

diverse information routing and redundant data or application

storage,
performance degradation instead of full failure,
link transmission rate control through temporary data storage
in buffers.

M BT
.
Buffer
size

20

Link
bandwidth

Maximum
(delay) time

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Extending the Internet into Smart

Key aspect:
add distributed generation (fuel cells, microturbines, PV
grids
modules, small wind, reciprocating engines) close to the load to make
power grids distribution portion an active electric circuit.
Autonomous and distributed controls can be implemented with DG.
Power vs. Energy buffers:
Predicted solar radiation
Batteries
on PV module
(Energy buffer)

W PT
.
Ultracapacitors
or flywheels
(power buffer)
21

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Control and communication issues

Coordination is needed in order to integrate variable generation sources (such
as PV modules) in the grid.
Centralized control requires significant communication resources (i.e., large
bandwidth spectrum allocation) which in general is not available.
The alternative is to provide all active nodes with an autonomous control that
allows controlling power interactions with the grid without dedicated
communication links. These more intelligent nodes become agents.

VS.

22

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Distributed generation
Smart grid planning
(DG)for disaster resiliency must consider disaster
impact on lifelines. During disasters special attention should be paid to
dissimilar ways in which disasters affect different DG technologies.
Renewable sources do not have lifelines but they are not dispatchable,
they are expensive, and they require large footprints.
Most DG technologies have availabilities lower than that of the grid.
DG needs diverse power supply in order to achieve high availabilities.
DG provides a technological solution to the vulnerable availability point
existing in air conditioners power supply.
DG provides the active component to grids distribution portion,
essential for advanced self-healing power architectures.
23

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Grids behavior during

Power
supply issues during disasters is
disasters
a grids problem transferred to the
load.
Power grids are extremely fragile
systems.

24

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Grids behavior during

Common
concept of damage to the electric grid during
disasters
disasters:

Real sustained damage in more than 90 % of the area:

25

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Conventional grid redundancy

Redundancy is not common in distribution and sub-transmission
portions because redundancy may be very expensive.

26

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Conventional grid diversity

Diversity implies more than one different components performing
the same function.

27

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Traditional Electricity Delivery Methods: Reliability

With disasters affecting large areas, grid interconnection and/or
centralized control imply lack of diversity and a single point of failure.

28

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Extending the Internet into Smart

Lifeline dependencies
can be reduced by extended local energy
grids

storage. Lifelines effects on availability can be mitigated with diverse

local power generation.
PVs and wind do not require lifelines but their variable profile leads to
added DG or extensive local energy buffers.
Performance degradation: voltage regulation or selective load
shedding.
Advanced (active) distribution through Power Routing Interfaces

29

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Advanced Power Architectures

Power routers

Monitoring points

A hybrid ac (solid lines) and dc (doted lines) architecture with

both centralized and distributed generation resources.
30

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010

Smart grids: PHEV and PEV integration

Problem: Typical home peak power
consumption is below 5 kW. An electric
vehicle may require 1 kW to be charged in 8
hrs. or up to 8 kW for shorter charging profiles.
Also, PEV and PHEV penetration is not uniform (higher for
neighborhoods with higher economical household income).
Hence, grids distribution transformers can be easily overloaded
PEV and PHEV even if charging is done during nighttime.
DG avoids overloading distribution transformers but economical
issues still need to be addressed
Combination of DG and energy storage may be a suitable
solution.

31

Alexis Kwasinski, 2010