Benefits of Sectionalizing the Power Grid: Evolution of Microgrid Clustering

Microgrids – localized grids that can disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously – have emerged as a promising means of increasing grid reliability and resiliency. One of the key challenges in the widespread adoption of microgrids is the cost of deployment. One viable solution for community microgrids is the concept of sectionalizing and microgrid clustering, which allows for a more cost-effective way of sharing the distributed energy resources (DERs) to increase the resiliency of more than one participant.

Siemens Grid Software US in collaboration with Commonwealth Edison and the Electric Power Research Institute has addressed these challenges by developing a set of advanced microgrid control and integration techniques known as ‘Sectionalizing the Grid’ concept.

In this webinar, Microgrid Knowledge hosts Siemens, ComEd, and EPRI to discuss how sectionalizing and microgrid clustering techniques were validated at a full-scale microgrid demonstration test bed operated by ComEd, including:

• T&D resiliency planning methods to identify community microgrid placements, configurations, and viable pathways along a feeder through which existing solar and storage resources can serve multiple customers and critical infrastructure.
• Using real-time measurement data and available pathway options to create flexible microgrid boundaries specifying switch order schemes, selection of Grid Forming/Grid Following DERs, and critical/non-critical loads.
• Fail-safe and cybersecure microgrid operations enabled through peer-to-peer resilient communication systems that can work during a crisis event.
• Illustration of a resilient community microgrid managed by sectionalization.

The video includes a question and answer session that was recorded during the live webinar.

Featured speakers include: