Learn how to integrate a photovoltaic system into a microgrid of your design. Photovoltaic systems are often placed into a microgrid, a local electricity distribution system that is operated in a controlled way and includes both electricity users and renewable electricity generation. This course deals with DC and AC microgrids and covers a wide range of topics, from basic definitions, through modelling and control of AC and DC microgrids to the application of adaptive protection in microgrids.
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You will master various concepts related to microgrid technology and implementation, such as smart grid and virtual power plant, types of distribution network, markets, control strategies and components. Among the components special attention is given to operation and control of power electronics interfaces.
You will familiarize yourself with the advantages and challenges of DC microgrids (which are still in an early stage). You will have the opportunity to master the topic of microgrids through an exercise in which you will evaluate selected pilot sites where microgrids were deployed. The evaluation will take the form of a simulation assignment and include a peer review of the results.
This course is part of the Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters program designed to cover all physics and engineering aspects of photovoltaics: photovoltaic energy conversion, technologies and systems.
What you'll learn
- The difference between a microgrid, a passive distribution grid and a virtual power plant
- The ancillary services provided by microgrids and PV
- The difference between internal and external markets for microgrids, including a description of the key actors involved
- Operation of centralized and decentralized control, forecasting, and evaluation of different market policies through a case study
- Operation of active power control and voltage regulation
- Evaluation of different strategies to control multiple inverters and to analyze local control to improve stability
- Different layouts and topologies of microgrids and power electronic components, and the role of power electronics converters in microgrids
- Microgrid protection, adaptive protection, and the consequences of using a fault current source and fault current limitation
- Main motivations and challenges for the implementation of DC microgrids
Prerequisites
Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering and/or the successful completion of Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion, Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies and Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems (or firm grasp of their content).
In order to carry out the assignments in the course, you will need to install a free software which requires a 64-bit computer, 4 GB ram and 5-6 GB of hard-drive space. Operating systems supported: Window 7 or newer, OSX 10.10 (Yosemite) or newer, Ubuntu 14.04 or 16.04.
