The Department of Defense has selected IPERC (Intelligent Power & Energy Research Corporation) to design and install a multi-megawatt cybersecure microgrid at Fort Belvoir, VA.
IPERC won the competitive selection as part of the military’s FY16 Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) program.
The program provides funds for projects that demonstrate innovative technologies to improve environmental performance, reduce operational costs and enhance and sustain mission capabilities.
IPERC partnered with local utility Dominion Virginia Power, AECOM, S&C Electric and Fort Belvoir in designing the project.
“We are extremely excited with this win. The team assembled for designing and building the multi-megawatt microgrid with state-of-the-art cybersecurity at Fort Belvoir is second to none,” said Darrell Massie, founder and CTO of IPERC. “We look forward to commissioning this microgrid and making it a centerpiece of US Army installation energy strategy.”
The project uses IPERC’s GridMaster control technology and incorporates elements of existing and new infrastructure on Fort Belvoir. It also employs advanced grid automation equipment and a Purewave SMS-250 Storage Management System from S&C Electric.
The design builds upon IPERC’s similar cybersecure microgrid architecture at Camp Smith, Hawaii, which earlier this year was the first DOD microgrid control system to receive formal authorization-to-operate (ATO) accreditation. The DOD issued the designation after extensive testing. IPERC said that having the status greatly streamlines the process for obtaining ATOs.
“Our goal is to design and install a world-class cybersecure microgrid at Fort Belvoir and obtain an ATO, thereby demonstrating the value-add of the GridMaster control system. We believe this will further solidify IPERC’s position as the clear industry leader in cybersecure microgrid solutions,” Massie said.
Earlier this year S&C Electric acquired IPERC as a wholly owned subsidiary.
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