An off-grid microgrid in the Maldives is performing 50 percent better than developer Electro Power Systems (EPS) expected when it commissioned the project at a resort in October 2016.
The 4.1 MW microgrid is the second installed by the French technology company in the Indian Ocean islands.
Using solar plus storage, the off-grid microgrid cut diesel use by 423,000 liters per year, 50 percent more than expected, according to the company. The microgrid provides 63 percent of the power for a resort.
“These data confirm the competitiveness of off-grid power generation,” said Daniele Rosati, EPC vice president of engineering.
The off-grid microgrid includes 0.8 MW of solar, distributed in eight installations throughout the island, and 0.3 MWh of energy storage to manage the spinning reserve and stabilize the renewables sources. The microgrid also has 1.1 MVA HyESS power conversion system and 3 MVA generators that produce heat for hot water at the resort.
In aggregate, the two off-grid microgrids in the Maldives serve 2.300 people, with a capacity of 10.4 MW.
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The company specializes in hybrid storage solutions and microgrids that stabilize intermittent renewable energy. EPS works in both developed countries and emerging economies. Its value proposition is that it powers off-grid areas at a lower cost than fossil fuels without the need for any subsidy or incentives.
EPS has installed and commissioned 36 large-scale projects, including off-grid hybrid systems powered by renewables and energy storage totaling over 35 MW.
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