Microgrids for Energy Resilience: A Guide to Conceptual Design and Lessons from Defense Projects

Booth, Samuel; Reilly, James; Butt, R.; Wasco, Mick; Monohan, Randy

doi:10.2172/1598145

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Early microgrids were not developed as a tool for climate mitigation, but rather as a tool for increasing resilience to various vulnerabilities. For example, medical facilities, military facilities, and other energy consumers seeking enhanced resilience have long utilized microgrid architectures to host emergency generating capacity, such as diesel generators [7,24,25]. More modern microgrids can retain this resilience while also deploying decarbonized renewable generation paired with local energy storage.…”

Section: Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

International, national, and subnational laws and policies call for rapidly decarbonizing energy systems around the globe. This effort relies heavily on renewable electricity and calls for a transition that is: (i) flexible enough to accommodate existing and new electricity end uses and users; (ii) resilient in response to climate change and other threats to electricity infrastructure; (iii) cost-effective in comparison to alternatives; and (iv) just in the face of energy systems that are often the result of—or the cause of—procedural, distributive, and historical injustices. Acknowledging the intertwined roles of technology and policy, this work provides a cross-disciplinary review of how microgrids may contribute to renewable electricity systems that are flexible, resilient, cost-effective, and just (including illustrative examples from Korea, California, New York, the European Union, and elsewhere). Following this review of generalized microgrid characteristics, we more closely examine the role and potential of microgrids in two United States jurisdictions that have adopted 100% renewable electricity standards (Hawai‘i and Puerto Rico), and which are actively developing regulatory regimes putatively designed to enable renewable microgrids. Collectively, this review shows that although microgrids have the potential to support the transition to 100% renewable electricity in a variety of ways, the emerging policy structures require substantial further development to operationalize that potential. We conclude that unresolved fundamental policy tensions arise from justice considerations, such as how to distribute the benefits and burdens of microgrid infrastructure, rather than from technical questions about microgrid topologies and operating characteristics. Nonetheless, technical and quantitative future research will be necessary to assist regulators as they develop microgrid policies. In particular, there is a need to develop socio–techno–economic analyses of cost-effectiveness, which consider a broad range of potential benefits and costs.

show abstract

Section: Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…From the long list of sizing tools for RE power systems [64], the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) has been selected as a reference in this work, as it is considered to be an international reference for the integration of RE in power systems [65]. HOMER follows the same evolution as wind-PV hybrid systems, as presented in Section 1: the HOMER software was developed at NREL as a model for the optimization of hybrid systems; and then continued at HOMER Energy as the Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources for the optimization of MGs; now, owned wholly by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a new service is been launched, HOMER Front, for utility-scale renewable hybrid power systems to evaluate their potential profitability, which is exactly the aim of this level of analysis.…”

Section: Data In Production Cost Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Data and Data Sources for the Assessment of the Potential of Utility-Scale Hybrid Wind–Solar PV Power Plants Deployment, under a Microgrid Scope

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Utility-scale hybrid wind–solar PV power plants (which might include some storage as well) are an attractive option for the transition of conventional grids to incorporate high renewable energy (RE) shares. Along with lower generation costs, they offer increased dispatch capabilities and flexible operation. However, when assessing their potential, they present higher needs in terms of input data, as they are forced to consider both spatial and temporal variations to evaluate their techno-economic viability, as well as other common inputs such as economic, social or environmental data. The availability of the different data influences the type of analysis to be implemented. The microgrid approach of segmenting the information into layers will be adopted for the classification of data. Three different levels of analysis are sought: long-term energy scenarios, geo-spatial planning, and production cost estimation. The analysis of necessary data for each planning stage, and the available data sources for the assessment of utility-scale hybrid power plants, under this microgrid approach, is the main focus of this review.

show abstract

“…A microgrid is comprised of distributed energy resources (DERs) interconnected through the site's electrical distribution system and provides power to designated critical loads upon loss of the primary energy source. 2 Microgrids are typically managed through a central controller that monitors the system operating parameters, coordinates DERs (e.g., renewable energy, energy storage, generators), balances and controls electrical loads, and is responsible for disconnection and reconnection of the microgrid to the primary grid (Booth et al 2019).…”

Section: What Is a Microgrid?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Once a funding approach has been chosen, it is recommended (based on agency best practices and lessons learned) to procure the microgrid project as a "design-build" project rather than as "design-bid-build" project if possible (Booth et al 2019). A design-build process may require special justification in some agencies, but this approach will most likely lead to the best successful project outcome.…”

Section: Implementation Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Financing Microgrids in the Federal Sector

Kurnik

Voss

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microgrids for Energy Resilience: A Guide to Conceptual Design and Lessons from Defense Projects

Abstract: Department of Energy (DOE) reports produced after 1991 and a growing number of pre-1991 documents are available free via www.OSTI.gov.

Cited by 13 publications

References 6 publications

The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems

The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems

Review of Data and Data Sources for the Assessment of the Potential of Utility-Scale Hybrid Wind–Solar PV Power Plants Deployment, under a Microgrid Scope

Financing Microgrids in the Federal Sector

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About