Development of Sources and a

Testbed for
CERTS Microgrid Testing
IEEE PES General Meeting
June 8, 2004
John Stevens
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM

What is CERTS?
NO ITS NOT A BREATH MINT!
Consortium for Electric Reliability
Technology Solutions
Organization of Private industry, universities
and national laboratories to conduct public
interest research on electric reliability
technologies
Lots of projects ongoing http://certs.lbl.gov
Microgrid project supported by California
Energy Commission and US DOE

Microgrid Concept
The concepts that drive the design
Improved energy efficiency (CHP)
Improved power quality and reliability

An integrated system that contains:

Sources
Loads
Protection
Controls
A means to rapidly separate from the main
utility system

Many Options for Building a

Microgrid
Rotating-machine interface vs electronic
interface
For example, diesel engine/generator vs fuel
cell

Geographically dispersed sources vs colocated (electrically) sources

Huge difference in complexity of microgrid
control and protection

A Campus Microgrid System

Dormitory A

Isolating Device (opens

during micro-grid mode)

500 kVA

Dormitory B

Administrative
Building
300 kVA

500 kVA

Campus Owned
Distribution (13.2 kV)

Utility System
Primary Connection
(13.2 kV)

Utility System
Interface Control

Generator
Step Up
Transformer

(Synchronization, fault
protection, islanding detection,
etc.)

To Other
Campus
Loads

Heat Distribution

75 kVA

Student
Union

Voltage
Regulator

Academic
Building B

Paralleling Bus (4.8 kV)

Communication & Control Signal Path

Generator
Protection
and Control

1.75
MVA
Gen

1.75
MVA

1.75
MVA
Gen

Gen

Academic Building A
800 kVA

300
kVA

Load
control

Heat Recovered
from ICE Units

Heat Distribution

Courtesy EPRI

A More Sophisticated Campus-Based Microgrid with

Multiple Dispersed Sources, Master Controller and
Dynamic Stabilizer
Local Generator
Protection and
Control

Isolating Device (opens

during micro-grid mode)

Sectionalizing switch
with synchronization

1000 kW ICE
Generator Dormitory A
(500 kVA)

Dormitory B
(500 kVA)

Administrative Building
(300 kVA)
75 kW PV
System

Gen

Heat
Heat

Campus Owned
Distribution (13.2 kV)

Utility System Primary

Connection (13.2 kV)

Utility System
Interface Controller
(Synchronization, fault protection,
islanding detection, etc.)

Dynamic
Stabilization
Device

To Other
Campus Loads
(500 kVA)

Student Union
75 kVA

Energy
Storage

Communication &
Control Signal Path

Academic Building B
(300 kVA)

Heat Academic Building A

(800 kVA)

Master Controller
(coordinates system operating
mode, frequency, voltage and
generation dispatch)

Heat

Gen

Local Generator
Protection and
Control
2000 kW ICE
Generator

75 kW Wind System

Courtesy EPRI

CERTS Microgrid Testbed

4-Wire 480 V

Energy Manager
Zone-3

P-1

P-2

Zone-4

Feeder A

B-4

B-3
Zone-2
4-Wire 480 V
Zone-1
PCC

Sensitive Loads

Static
Switch

3-Wire 480 V
P-3

Zone-5

Feeder B

B-5
13.8 kV

4-Wire 480 V
Feeder C

Zone-6

Traditional Loads

Microsource

Power Flow
Controller

Point of
Common
Coupling

Breaker

The CERTS Microgrid Project

Develop a control strategy to ease electrical
interconnection of DG in a microgrid
Incorporate that strategy into a DG source
Design and build a testbed
To be at a utility-operated site

Run a specified set of tests

Respond to issues uncovered
Rerun tests
Invite review and custom testing from utility and
DG communities

Status
Control algorithms developed and extensively tested
through simulations and lab-scale hardware testing
(University of Wisconsin)
Testbed design nearing completion (Northern Power
Systems)
Test inverters being developed for proof of
concept testing (Northern Power Systems)
Finalizing agreement with Capstone Turbines to
incorporate CERTS controls into 60kW turbines
Discussions ongoing with interested utilities to select
testbed site