Smart Microgrid Energy Management Controls for Improved Energy Efficiency and Renewables Integration at DoD Installations

As the title suggests, the project was aimed at developing microgrid energy management controls for improved energy efficiency and renewable integration at DOD installations. The microgrid control system MCS demonstrated in this project is designed to manage and control the complicated interactions among heat and electrical power generation, power demand, energy storage, and power distribution and delivery. The advanced control and optimization functions include optimal dispatch of distributed energy resources or DERs including renewable and energy storage, initial capability of load management during grid connected or islanded operation, and energy efficiency optimization by simultaneously controlling DERs for maximum efficiency and managing the major electrical loads. The important technology contributions to improving energy efficiency and increasing energy security are 1 the ability to include various assets such as renewables, combined heat and power units, electrical and thermal storage, and controllable loads as energy management resources 2 the ability to include future predicted values of loads, renewable generation, and fuel and electricity prices in the optimization process 3 the ability to automatically commit de-commit DERs as needed and 4 the use of a predictive control strategy to address renewable generation intermittency. The optimal dispatch problem is suitably formulated so that it can be solved using computationally efficient and robust optimization algorithms. The current state-of-the-art power grid includes minimal renewable or clean energy, no intelligent distribution, minimal or no energy storage, ad hoc dispatch, uncontrolled load demands, and excessive distribution losses. Microgrids are envisioned as local power networks that utilize distributed energy resources DER and manage the local energy supply and demand.