Microgrid Test Bed Implementation at

the PPL Electric Utilities Power Lab

Peter Idowu, Ph.D., P.E

Microgrid Development Team:
Joyer Lobo MSEE student (Laboratory Implementation)
Ameya Chandrayan MSEE student (Laboratory Implementation)
LE B. Chen (Brandon) MSEE student (MAS-based control and Co-simulation)
Sri Jagannathan MSEE student (Function Block based control)
Lucas McCoy MSEE student (Mesh communication network performance)
Lavinia Pintuita M.Eng. EE student (PSH conceptual Testbed in ETAP)
Three new graduate students joining in the Fall 2014 semester
Faculty advisors with backgrounds in communications, computer security,
etc.

Presentation outline

The Legacy electric power grid

The Smart Grid
The Microgrid
Microgrid test facilities
The Microgrid at PPL Electric Power
Lab

The Legacy Electric Grid

Figure at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Electricity_grid_schema-_lang-en.jpg

What is the Smart Grid?

A construct that is expected to embrace all the following:
1. Assess grid health in real time (ss-dynamic-transient
stability, )
2. Predict and anticipate behavior (load, faults, resource
availability, )
3. Adapt to new environment (DGRs, storage, smart loads,
etc.)
4. Handle stochastic demand-response requirements of
smart loads
5. Provide self-correction, reconfiguration, and restoration
(protection, )
6. Handle random nature of demand and market
participation in real-time
7. Create environment for interactive exchanges between
intelligent devices, communication protocols, smart
algorithms, transportation systems

One of many possible definitions

The smart grid is an advanced digital two-way power flow

power system capable of self-healing, adaptive, resilient,
and sustainable, with foresight for prediction under different
uncertainties. Equipped for interoperability with present
and future standards for components, devices, and cybersecured against malicious attack James Momoh, Howard
University, DC

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Smart Grid Conceptual Model

http://smartgrid.ieee.org/ieee-smart-grid/smart-grid-concep
tual-model

Microgrid

if the Smart Grid is a wide area power provider with

sophisticated automated decision support structures, the
Microgrid is a local power provider with limited advanced
control tools

Microgrid - a group of interconnected loads and

distributed energy resources within clearly defined
electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable
entity with respect to the grid and that connects and
disconnects from such grid to enable it to operate in both
grid-connected or island mode. - State of Connecticut
Public Act No. 12-148

Purpose of microgrid test facilities

Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions
(CERTS) Test Bed
The objective of the large scale CERTS Microgrid Test Bed 1. Enhance the ease of integrating small energy sources into
a microgrid
2. Significantly reduce the level of custom field engineering
needed to operate microgrids
3. Demonstrate advanced techniques collectively referred to
as the CERTS Microgrid concept:
a. Effecting automatic and seamless transitions
between grid-connected and islanded modes
b. Coordinate protection within the microgrid without
depending on high fault currents
c. Achieve stability and microgrid control of voltage
and frequency under islanded conditions without

Purpose of microgrid test facilities

Florida International Universitys Smart Power System

Florida International Universitys Smart Power System

Model realistic behavior of a large power system

Use setup for research and for teaching power systems
concepts
phasor measurement units (PMU),
grid integration of distributed energy resources (DER),
intelligent protection and control,
hybrid ac-dc systems
etc.

Goals for the PPL Lab Microgrid

Interaction of simulated transmission network with hardwarebased microgrid
Environment to facilitate power system co-simulation
Multi Agent System (MAS) based distributed operation of power
system, including protection coordination, microgrid control,
demand-side load management, load signature studies
Demand-side dynamic load modeling
Power system stabilizer design
Performance of ZigBee mesh networks, other topologies
Distributed resources and storage integration
Network control with utility grade digital relays and
synchrophasors
Smart grid security in collaboration with computer science group

Resources

Our smart and very well motivated students

SEL and Novatech digital relays and IEDs
Orion LX and SEL-RTAC Automation controllers
Omicron relay test set
dSPACE hardware-in-the loop development system
SMA industrial grade bidirectional inverter(s)
MG set with industrial grade excitation system
Silicon Labs EM357 development system, IAR
compiler
Smart meters, sensors, transducers,
Controllers, high performance PCs
Software systems ETAP, MATLAB, JADE, ZEUS, etc.

Questions