Microgrids: Three Questions

April 23, 2014
William Galton, ABB microgrid project manager, answers three questions about microgrids, renewable energy and grid reliability.

By William Galton, ABB

Microgrids offer advantages for reliability and bringing more renewables onto the grid.

1. What are the benefits of integrating renewable energy with microgrids?

The obvious first benefit is related to cost of generation reduction. With the increasing costs of traditional fossil fuel based generation, such as diesel, and the reduction in dollar-per-watt cost for renewables such as wind, the tipping point for renewables in remote microgrids has been passed. For remote and islanded areas such as Alaska, Northern Canada and the Caribbean, which have excellent wind and solar resources, it’s a no brainer. A secondary benefit, and some would argue just as important, is the avoided environmental impact due to transport and storage of fossil fuels in these remote pristine areas.

2. Do microgrids increase the reliability of the grid?

If we are looking at the main utility grid, the short answer is yes. By having distributed generation assets throughout the network it gives utilities the ability to call upon these assets for ancillary services in times of need. This may be in the form of peak shaving during peak power demand on hot summer days or cold winter periods, or it could involve frequency regulation. A lot of utilities are currently deploying pilot projects whereby a section of the main grid has the ability to seamlessly transition from grid-connect to islanded mode. There are technical obstacles that need to be overcome but these microgrids are driving towards maintaining electrical supply to mission critical infrastructure such as hospitals, police and fire services as well as data centers.

3. How do microgrids deal with the uncertain ups and downs of wind and solar power?

In main grid applications the connection point is generally strong enough to withstand the fluctuations from wind and solar. In remote microgrids the problem is magnified due to the limited amount of inertia in the system. Historically, to mitigate against intermittency, operators would curtail the renewable asset so as to reduce the voltage and frequency excursions. ABB has developed a microgrid control system called the MGC600 and flywheel inverter system called the PowerStore that allows microgrids to run 100 percent renewable mode and transition back to fossil-based generation when the renewable resource goes away. The PowerStore injects and absorbs real and reactive power within five milliseconds to counteract the variations from the wind and solar assets. This in turn allows higher penetration and annual contribution from renewable sources, and translates to a better ROI and shorter payback period.

Speak with me and other technology experts on May 5th in Las Vegas during a special half day educational seminar. Hosted by ABB, this technical training will take place in conjunction with AWEA Windpower. Topics include Statcom, Series Condensors, MicroGrids & connecting to the grid. Register now! 

This blog, by ABB’s  William Galton, originally appeared on ABB’s website. Industry Perspectives’ articles do not necessarily represent the views of EnergyEfficiencyMarkets.com or its staff.

About the Author

Kevin Normandeau | Publisher

Kevin is a veteran of the publishing industry having worked for brands like PC World, AOL, Network World, Data Center Knowledge and other business to business sites. He focuses on industry trends in the energy efficiency industry.

Related Content

Brandon Olafsson / Shutterstock.com

Department of Energy Spending Up to $200M Connecting Remote Microgrids

March 15, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy is currently accepting proposals for transmission projects that would connect remote and isolated microgrids to each other or to existing transmission...
U.S. Army photo by Scott Darling, Fort Cavazos Public Affairs)

U.S. Army Improves Resilience at Fort Cavazos with New Microgrid

March 14, 2024
U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos, formerly known as Fort Hood, will use the microgrid to power critical services and infrastructure during outages and to reduce energy costs during...

Reducing Costs and Uncertainty in Microgrid Deployment By Employing An Integrated Solution

March 15, 2024
This white paper - the second in a series - explores the Model Predictive Controller (MPC) approach to Microgrid and EV infrastructure operation.

Malaysian Semiconductor Maker Secures Critical Power with Rolls-Royce mtu Powerpacks On-Site

March 13, 2024
X-FAB Sarawak, the Malaysian division of worldwide foundry group X-FAB, will utilize the four mtu Kinetic Powerpacks at its site in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The company manufactures...

Only through Standardization Can Microgrids Accelerate the Energy Transition

Jan. 18, 2024
Jana Gerber, North America microgrid president at Schneider Electric discusses how standardizing microgrids will accelerate the energy transition.

MGK_MesaWPCover_2021-09-07_8-14-03
MGK_MesaWPCover_2021-09-07_8-14-03
MGK_MesaWPCover_2021-09-07_8-14-03
MGK_MesaWPCover_2021-09-07_8-14-03
MGK_MesaWPCover_2021-09-07_8-14-03

6 Reasons Why Natural Gas is a Distributed Energy Source Bridging Solution

Many experts predict a windfall for the renewable energy industry as companies strive to meet their stated goals by 2035, 2040, or even 2050. But a new white paper from Mesa Solutions...