Spokane Microgrid Distributed Generation and Storage

Our mission is to augment the existing distributed generation and energy storage in downtown Spokane. The two main goals are "improved use of existing assets" and "adding new generation and storage." Some sub goals are investigating market options for distributed generation and storage, finding locations for new assets, and connecting them to the electrical grid.

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.

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).

Project Goals

 *  Determine appropriate market options for distributed generation, energy storage, and the included grid connections 
 *  Determine an appropriate method to increase use of existing assets 
 *  Find and map suitable locations for the distributed generation and energy storage 
 *  Further the project model in PowerWorld

Deliverables

 *  Datasheets of listed materials and items 
 *  Recommended Diesel Generator Conversion kit and estimated price table 
 *  Google Earth map of recommend locations for the solar panels and battery banks
 *  Recommended grid connections 
 *  Model and Low-scale simulation of the design in Powerworld</li>

Integrating and Improving Existing Assets
Fuel Conversion

A cost effective way to increase generation is to improve the existing generators.

There are at least 18 generators that are being underutilized. These are the diesel back-up generators in the three main Spokane hospitals, Deaconess, Sacred Heart, and Shriners. The core reason that these generators are being underutilized is that the operation time is severely limited by environmental standards. Therefore to increase the potential generation requires reducing the environmental impact of the fuel exhaust.

One simple way to reduce impact of the generator exhaust is to switch fuels. Natural gas burns cleaner than diesel and is readily available in Spokane. This switch requires a diesel to natural gas conversion kit.

Two companies that offer such diesel to natural gas conversion kits are GFS Corp(FL), and Martin Diesel (PA). The following data is from GFS Corp quotes:

''The kits convert the generators to run to a maximum ratio of 70%:30% - natural gas to diesel. To convert one of generators costs around $35,000. Early estimates for the conversion of all the hospital generators is a half million dollars.''

A great method to convince the hospitals to convert the generators is for Avista to offer an incentive on the electrical rates for every generator converted to run on natural gas.

Grid Auto-Synchronization
The distributed generation feeding into the micro-grid needs to synchronize safely with the grid to distribute power without damaging any grid components.

Solar Generation
New renewable energy distributed generation (REDG) will be added to Spokane to supplement the hydroelectric dams and the hospital generators. Currently these REDG consist of only solar panels.

Energy Storage
Energy storage is crucial for a microgrid since it eases the transition from the grid-connected mode to the grid-disconnected or “island” mode. This period allows the various customers time to shut down the processes and machines that would otherwise be damaged by the sudden drop or loss in power.

The Archive

 * Meeting Minutes</li>
 * Project Schedule</li>
 * Capstone Design Expo Presentation</li>
 * Final Poster</li>
 * Final report</li>

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