Spokane Microgrid Distributed Generation and Storage

Welcome to the Smart Spokane Wiki Page!

Our team is 1 of 3 teams at the University of Idaho who are working with Avista Utilities to develop a microgrid in the downtown area of Spokane, WA. The other two teams are the Master Controller team and the Automated Generator Controller (AGC) team.

Our team's part and mission is to investigate current options for distributed generators and energy storage and then examine locations for and study integration of these microgrid components.

Background
On November 17, 2015, a strong windstorm hit the city of Spokane. The strong winds severed the power transmission lines from the Columbia River generating stations. After a long four weeks, Avista Utilities, the local electric power utility, fully restored power service.

Proposed Solution
Avista Utilities is working with federal programs such as Smart Cities to develop a Smart grid for Spokane. As a part of the Smart grid package, a Microgrid will be developed for the downtown area. These developments will improve reliability of the power service thus raising the level of quality service, and also decrease cost caused by blackouts.
 * Smart Grids

According to smartgrid.gov, a Smart Grid is an electrical grid that has been integrated with modern digital technology to allow it to sense and respond to changes in electric demand. Thus it creates a "two-way communication between the utility and its customers." This communication and response becomes increasingly important as more customers contribute to the grid power generation with such renewable energy generators as solar panels.
 * MicroGrids

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines a microgrid as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within a clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid. A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the grid to enable it to operate in both grid-connected or islanded-mode (1).

Our Goals
Hospital Generators

Identify the steps needed to convert the generators fuel supply from diesel to natural gas Assess changed in power output caused by the fuel change Compile a comparison of three best market conversion kits Locate any other possible generators that can be slaved to the Smart Grid Controller

Relays

Learn how to use the relays to properly bring up DG’s and hospital backup generators Compile a comparison of the three best relays for each use Determine amount of relays needed Specify potential locations for the relays Work with the Master Controller group on load shedding scheme and the sequencing of relay switching</li> Determine measurements that need to be taken and sent to master controller</li> Figure out the most reliable and secure method of communication between the relay and master controller</li>

Solar

Compile a comparison of three top solar generators on the market</li> Find the best locations to install the solar generators on the basis of space, and sun exposer</li> Determine the maximum amount of solar generators that can be installed according to:</li>
 * -Location
 * -Cost
 * -Law/Property ownership

Learn how to best set up the transfer of energy to the grid</li> Assess Private Solar Generation in the downtown location, then include in diagrams</li>

Energy Storage

Determine amount of energy storage devices needed</li>

Find best locations to install energy storage devices: indoor or outdoor</li>

Determine maximum amount of energy storage resources that can be installed</li>

Deliverables
 A schematic detailing the interconnection of the distributed generators, the charge controllers, the battery banks, the converters, and the grid.</li>  Low-scale simulation of the design in Powerworld</li>  Map of recommend locations for distributed generators, battery banks, etc.</li>  The datasheets of listed materials and items </li>

Integrating and Improving Existing Assets
Within the Microgrid area are three main hospitals, Deaconess, Sacred Heart, and Shriners. The fuel for the generators is currently diesel. To reduce the environmental impact from running these generators, the team petitioned the client, Avista to offer an incentive on the electrical rates if they would use a conversion kit to change the fuel consumed by the generators to natural gas.

Natural gas burns cleaner than diesel and is readily available in Spokane. It should also remain cheaper than diesel for years to come. The team is currently investigating the change in energy output.

The team has found two companies that offer Diesel to Natural Gas Conversion kits. These are GFS Corp(FL), and Martin Diesel (PA). The following data comes from the quotes of GFS Corp.

The conversion kits convert the generators to run to a maximum ratio of natural gas to diesel of 70%:30%. Daniel Craig received a quote from GFS Corp for one of generators to be around $35,000. Early estimates rate the conversion of all the hospital generators to cost a half million dollars.

The SEL-451-5 (shown below in figure 1) will be used to auto-sync the generators to the grid. This synchronizer can connect to the local substation via an Ethernet connection to communicate with the master controller.

Auto-synchronization System
Synchronization system: The main objective of the this system is be able to safely integrate to hospital generators into the gird. Some of the relevant features are.
 * synchronize multiple generators.-Ability to synchronize multiple generators to run on a same voltage and phase angle as the grid.
 * Close acceptance.-Allows the generators voltage and frequency to be slightly greater than the grids to prevent from damaging the generators.
 * Sensing and Initiate Auto-synchronization.-Allows the system to sense the grid loss and initiate the auto-synchronization of the system.

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Solar Generation
The team is currently investigating the best available locations for the solar panels using Google Earth. the client contact, Randy has mentioned that the Event Center is looking to place solar panels on its roof.

Energy Storage
The Vanadium Redox MW battery has been chosen as the main method of energy storage. This battery is shaped similar to Intermodal containers seen on freight ships. Randy, the Avista representative reports, that they expect the Vanadium Redox battery to have a service life of about 20 years. This long service life is in part because this type of battery experiences significantly less capacity loss compared to the standard Lithium-ion battery from frequent use (charge/discharge cycles).

The Vanadium Redox MW battery was chosen because of its near limitless charge-cycles. Therefore the batteries could be used to supply the peak load daily. This process should help to offset their costs in time.

Switching
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories' Grid-tie Inverter 890GT series has been chosen to connect all the energy resources to the grid. This choice was made after it was discovered that performs the same function as a ATS at a lower cost.

Inter-team Cooperation: Control Communication
Further discussions have revealed that this will be determined later in semester.

The Model
The team is currently familiarizing themselves with the Powerworld models that have already been created for the Spokane Microgrid. In the next two weeks, they shall work to incorporate the chosen equipment into a Powerworld model.

Wikipage Editing Help
To upload a picture go to here: http://mindworks.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Special:Upload

Quick Help? See:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet

Great Capstone Example: Fuel Rod Defect Detection page

The Archive
This section needs to include links to team files, such as: Meeting minutes</li> <li>Presentations</li> <li>Posters</li> <li>Final reports</li> <li>Any other documentation needed to repeat the work</li>

Naming Convention for documents: 2016_projectname_filename.extension

Store a copy of the wiki files on the shared drive (engineering/senior design/wikimaterials/capstone)