Microgrid Implementation and Considerations for Improved Energy Resilience

06/13/2024

Microgrid Implementation and Considerations for Improved Energy Resilience—Part 1

This SERDP and ESTCP webinar focused on DoD-funded research efforts to increase energy resilience through microgrids. Specifically, investigators discussed the inclusion of private utilities in a microgrid planning framework to improve widespread cost-effective microgrid deployments. Investigators also discussed the development of energy resilience training to standardize understanding and promote the use of microgrids at DoD installations.

Thursday, June 13, 2024

This is an archived event page. To view the recording, visit this link.

Presentation Slides

Abstracts

“Microgrid Planning Utilizing an Open Modeling Framework for Resilient Installations Leveraging Their Utility Privatization” by Mr. David Pinney (EW20-5055)

Military installations host multiple mission-critical critical loads with stringent resilience requirements. These requirements can often be cost-effectively met by microgrid deployments. However, existing electric grid planning tools lack integrated methods for concurrently modeling on-site generation systems with low voltage (building), medium voltage (distribution system primary), and high voltage (transmission systems). This shortcoming in existing planning tools increases time, cost, complexity, and uncertainty in designing microgrids for multi-building sites. The MicrogridUP project has created a comprehensive microgrid planning framework to address known software and planning problems that limit the widespread, cost-effective utilization of coordinated microgrid deployments. The project team includes utilities that hold utility privatization (UP) contracts to own and operate electrical infrastructure on behalf of the military, and the framework has been used to develop microgrid plans for four installations that these utilities serve. National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Research's MicrogridUP planning framework has been able to identify attractive microgrid candidates, optimize their placement and components, and reduce the soft costs associated with the planning process. This presentation will provide an overview of the multi-staged optimization approach to microgrid planning and discuss microgrid opportunities that have been identified at four military installations served by three cooperative UP owners.

“Transferring Capability for Microgrids and Resilience in DoD Installations” by Dr. Nathan Johnson and Mr. Chuck Kurnik (EW22-7348)

The National Defense Authorization Act and all military branches specifically mandate resilience. However, there are insufficient resources to support infrastructure and training, as well as limited guidance on how to conceptualize, execute, and fund resilience. This project is providing energy resilience training focused on microgrids to achieve the following: (a) enhance understanding, design for, and sustainment of reliable energy access for mission assurance within military installations; (b) facilitate cross-collaboration between utilities, installation leadership, and installation facilities to develop resilient energy solutions such as microgrids; and, (c) disseminate a standardized microgrid resilience knowledge set and expertise across DoD entities with continuation through DoD training programs for facilities personnel. This work refines and scales training content from Arizona State University (ASU), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Slipstream, and Converge Strategies into a series of recurring microgrid training programs targeted toward military installation facilities and leadership, DoD laboratories and warfare centers, energy utility partners, and DoD contractors/partners. This presentation will provide an overview of the training programs and information on how to plug-in to the growing effort to enhance capacity to meet resilience goals.