On February 25, 2022, EEMI conducted a day-long microgrid controls demonstration at GW’s Potomac Plaza, next to the Gelman Library.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories provided the equipment and technical expertise for the exhibit, which attracted a large audience of students, faculty, government officials, corporate personnel, NGO members, consultants and others throughout the day.
Personnel from a wide range of organizations participated in the event, including the Renewable Energy & Environmental Exports Office of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, GW Office of Sustainability, GW Smart Grid Laboratory, School of Law, GW Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Columbian College of Arts and Science, GW Innovation Center, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Energy Systems Lab, Office of Environmental and Regulatory Compliance, GW Business School, office of Sustainability at the George Mason University, and the ESG Consultancy.
The February 2 event followed a February 14 trial run at the NOVEC office in Manassas, Virginia. EEMI leaders Dr. Mukes Kapilashrami, Professor Scott Sklar, and Dr. Ed Saltzberg organized and coordinated the event.
Microgrid control systems are being used increasingly cross the country and throughout the world to help ensure the reliable, resilient delivery of electric power for critical infrastructure, including college campuses (to integrate on-campus generation, keep the lights on, and protect critical facilities and research projects), military bases (to provide power system reliability and survivability with garrison microgrids and mobile tactical microgrids), emergency services (to keep hospitals, fire stations, police, and community centers operating during natural disasters and public emergencies), data centers (to provide an uninterrupted supply of high-quality electric power to keep servers running and data flowing), manufacturing plants (to keep critical processes running, and eliminate costly downtime), commercial centers (to keep the lights on and businesses running), and utility providers (to integrate microgrids at the distribution level to integrate DERs, keep emergency services powered, and improve reliability metrics).
Microgrid control systems respond quickly and accurately to the rapidly changing power system dynamics of microgrids. Fast, intelligent load shedding and inertial compensation ensure that generation sources and other critical assets (e.g., transformers and points of common coupling between the utility and inverter-based sources) are protected under all operational conditions. They also can integrate distributed renewable resources and integrate them with other generation sources, giving their owners many options for reducing carbon emissions and pollution
Microgrid controls demonstration equipment Closeup of unit controls
Microgrid controls demonstration trailer