MINIGRID
Presented By:
Sujit Tiwari
074MSREE019
Outline
• Introduction to Minigrid
• The Need of Minigrid
• Design of Minigrid
• Components of Minigrids
• Minigrid Operating Modes
• Interconnected Minigrids
• Economics of Minigrids
• Advantages & Disadvantages of Minigrid
• On going Minigrid activities
• Future Directions on Minigrid Research
• References
Introduction to Minigrid
• Small-scale power supply network that is designed to provide power
for a small community.
• Enables local power generation for local loads.
• Comprises of various small power generating sources that makes it
highly flexible and efficient.
• Connected to both the local generating units and the utility grid thus
preventing power outages
• Excess power can be sold to the utility grid.
• Size may range from housing estate to municipal regions.
The Need of Minigrid
• Minigrid could be the answer to our energy crisis.
• Transmission losses gets highly reduced.
• Provide high quality and reliable energy supply to critical loads
Design of Minigrids
Components of Minigrids
• Distributed Generation
• Loads
• Energy storage systems
• Static disconnect switch
• Controller
• Mode switching device
• Point of Common Coupling
Minigrid Operating Modes
• Grid Connected Mode
• Utility grid is active.
• Static switch is closed
• All the feeders are being supplied by utility grid.
• Island Mode
• Utility grid is not supplying power
• Static switch is open.
• Feeder A, B, C are being supplied by Microsources.
• Feeder D (not sensitive ) is dead.
Interconnected Minigrids
• Practical size of Minigrids is limited to a few MVA.
• For larger loads, it is desirable to interconnect many Minigrids to form
a larger Minigrid network called Power Parks.
• The advantages of this Minigrid structure insures greater stability and
controllability for the Power Parks.
Economics of Minigrid
Economics of Minigrid
When is a mini-grid the best economic choice?
• electrical load
• cost of fuel
• accessibility of renewable resources
• cost of extending the main grid
• number of new connections required
• cost of renewable energy equipment and discount rate.
Economics of Minigrid
Cost influencing factors
• Storage system
• Multiple sources of power (such as solar panels and diesel generator)
• Single-Phase and Three-Phase system
• costs of grid extension
Economics of Minigrid
How can productive use of electricity from mini-grids improve mini-
grid economics?
• On-bill Financing for Productive-use Equipment
• Time-of-use tariffs
Advantages & Disadvantages of Minigrid
Advantages:
• A major advantage of a Minigrid, is its ability, during a utility grid
disturbance, to separate and isolate itself from the utility seamlessly with
little or no disruption to the loads within the Minigrid.
• In peak load periods it prevents utility grid failure by reducing the load on
the grid.
• Significant environmental benefits made possible by the use of low or
zero emission generators.
• The use of both electricity and heat permitted by the close proximity of
the generator to the user, thereby increasing the overall energy efficiency.
• Minigrid can act to mitigate the electricity costs to its users by generating
some or all of its electricity needs.
Disadvantages:
• Voltage, frequency and power quality are three main parameters that
must be considered and controlled to acceptable standards whilst the
power and energy balance is maintained.
• Electrical energy needs to be stored in battery banks thus requiring
more space and maintenance.
• Resynchronization with the utility grid is difficult.
• Minigrid protection is one of the most important challenges facing the
implementation of Minigrids.
• Issues such as standby charges and net metering may pose obstacles
for Minigrid.
On Going Minigrid Activities
• Transition between grid connected and islanded modes on interaction
phenomena between distribution generation and high penetration of
distributed generation.
• Transformation of Minigrid system today into the intelligent, robust
energy delivery system in the future by providing significant reliability
and security benefits.
• To investigate full-scale development, field demonstration,
experimental performance evaluation of frequency and voltage control
methods under various operation modes.
Future Directions on Minigrid Research
• Micro-Grid gives impetus to the use of Renewable sources of energy.
• Reliability is achieved due to decentralization of supply.
• In an event of Power Grid failure Micro-Grid is one of the best
alternatives.
References
[1] https://www.usaid.gov/energy/mini-grids/technical-design/key-steps/
[2] H. Rongxian , L. Zhiwen , C. Yaoming , W. Fu and R. Guoguang "DC micro-grid
simulation test platform", Proc. 9thTaiwan Power Electron. Conf., pp.1361 -1366
2010.
[3] YUAN Vue, LI Zhenjie, FENG Yu. "Development Purposes, Orientations and
prospects of microgrid in China". Automation of Electric Power Systems (in Chinese),
voU, pp.59-64., Apr. 2010.
[4] LU Zongxiang, WANG Caixia, MIN Y ong. "Overview on microgrid research".
Automation of Electric Power Systemsvo1.l9, pp.lOO-l06, Apr. 2007.
Any Queries??
Thank you
