Microgrids
From P2P Foundation
= Microgrids are “a collection of small generators for a collection of users in close proximity [1]
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Definition
"Microgrids are modern, small-scale versions of the centralized electricity system. They achieve specific local goals, such as reliability, carbon emission reduction, diversification of energy sources, and cost reduction, established by the community being served. Like the bulk power grid, smart microgrids generate, distribute, and regulate the flow of electricity to consumers, but do so locally. Smart microgrids are an ideal way to integrate renewable resources on the community level and allow for customer participation in the electricity enterprise." (http://galvinpower.org/microgrids)
Description
John Robb:
"A Microgrid enables the ability to do the following:
- to disconnect from the national grid when there is a general utility failure. This enables a combination of back-up power systems from third party providers -- everything from flywheels to back-up generators (very much the same approach that data-centers use).
- to build a local market for power production. Since the Microgrid buys power in volume from the national grid, it will likely get dynamic pricing data (time of day, etc.). This data allows the Microgrid to offer local producers of electricity the ability to sell into the Microgrid at competitive prices (peer to peer production). Of course, if local power production is a priority, then the price comparison can be weighted via subsidies to favor local producers.
- to add smart features that will only get nominal deployment on the national grid. For example, the ability to add smarts to devices and homes to allow customers to manage their consumption of electricity at a granular level -- from price to device."
(http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2008/04/resilient-commu.html)
Discussion
John Robb on Microgrids and Resilience
"Smart microgrids are now going mainstream with multiple software start-ups and big efforts underway at Siemens and Cisco. Given this pace of expansion, I suspect that this bottoms up approach will vastly outstrip and eventually curtail any efforts to build smarts into the larger utility grids (which is estimated to cost $165 b in the US alone, money that doesn't exist). Also, with this level of interest, open source efforts are sure to follow.
So what does this meant to those of building resilient communities? Smart microgrids are a platform that can be built upon. For example:
- It supports the development of a vibrant local market or ecosystem of power producers at the small business or household level.
- It enables communities to build in back-up systems that can keep them operational even when the rest of grid goes dark/down.
- It provides a way for innovations to reach end users immediately and new synergistic opportunities when combined with other local systems."
(http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2010/04/update-microgrids.html)
More Information
See the articles on Micropower, Distributed Power Generation and the P2P Energy Grid
