Combined solar heat and power with microgrid storage and layered smartgrid control toward supplying off‐grid rural villages

Abstract

A project has been initiated in South Africa to design, model, build, and evaluate an easy to install solar fueled combined heat and power (micro-CHP) system to supply off-grid rural villages and eco-estate communities. This study describes the design of a model that offers a combined 3 kW peak electrical, 12 kW peak thermal, stand-alone solar power technology solution with microgrid storage to deliver power, and heat when the sun is shining and after sunset (at night time). The CHP demand side management system manages power and heat distribution to individual households in a small rural village based on a proposed smart microgrid technology solution. The solution aims to balance the heat/power demand side requirements based on digital feedback on heat/ power utilization patterns and user demand. Aspects of the micro-CHP system microgrid control are discussed while a modular smartgrid solution is selected for smart microgrid applications.

Scoping exercise to determine load profile archetype reference shapes for solar co-generation models in isolated off-grid rural African villages

“…Standalone concentrating solar micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP) technology has been identified as a potential solution to meet energy demands in isolated off-grid rural areas (Barbieri et al, 2012;Prinsloo & Dobson, 2015). In order to simplify the development of control automation solutions for micro-CHP systems, dynamic modelling approaches have been followed to simulate these systems (Cho et al, 2007).…”

“…Thermodynamic modelling and optimisation can be improved when realistic reference profile shapes (archetypes) are available. These profiles can be used as a benchmark in the evaluation and comparison of computer simulation and system control models for new locally relevant village-scale autonomous solar Stirling micro-CHP systems, such as the community solar system currently under development at Stellenbosch University (Prinsloo & Dobson, 2015).…”

Heat and Power System as an Independent Source of Electric Power. Case Study

“…Onsite combined heat and power system for generating electricity and heat [23,24], 3. Installing a 1 MW wind turbine and a 1 MW solar array [25,26,27,28], 4. Regional (bigger in size) combined heat and power cogeneration system [29,30].…”

Design and realization of an open‐source and modular smart meter

“…Moreover, Qatar is moving toward developing a new electric grid infrastructure to enable smartness . With a smart grid, building's energy management is becoming smart, as energy is being monitored and controlled simultaneously and continuously . Smart building is a technology that enables the building's electronic devices to act “smart” or more automated .…”

“…10 With a smart grid, building's energy management is becoming smart, as energy is being monitored and controlled simultaneously and continuously. [11][12][13] Smart building is a technology that enables the building's electronic devices to act "smart" or more automated. 14 New technologies give electric appliances the ability to be networked through the Internet, to communicate with the consumers and even with manufacturers.…”