Fundamentals of Microgrids

February 7, 2025 | Online :: Central Time

0225-microgrids

“Appropriate course for an introduction to microgrids.  It’s fast-paced but all the topics are covered in the appropriate depth.” Senior Project Development Engineer, Ameresco

The need to increase reliability and resiliency and integrate sustainable energy resources to basic energy services is increasing interest in microgrid development. This market is transitioning from early staged projects to full-scale commercialization.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals and specifics of microgrids. Participants will explore benefits, applications, configurations, challenges, policies, and funding opportunities. The course will also cover components and future trends in the microgrid industry.

Key Takeaways

• Applications and Value:
  • Recognize various microgrid applications
  • Understand the purpose and value of each
• Real-World Examples:
  • Review and compare actual microgrids
• Benefits and Impact:
  • Examine societal benefits of microgrids
  • Understand their industry impact
• Financing and Investment:
  • Discuss options for funding and investing in microgrid installations
• Technical Aspects:
  • Identify configurations, control systems, communications, and protection schemes
• Technology Discussion:
  • Engage in discussions on existing and emerging microgrid technologies
• Environmental Impact:
  • Review microgrid impacts on the environment
  • Understand their role in local resiliency and grid strength

Learning Outcomes

• Recognize the various applications of microgrids and contrast the purpose and value each provides
• Review and compare actual microgrids
• Examine the benefits of microgrids for society and their impact on the industry
• Discuss options for financing or investing in microgrid installations
• Identify their configurations, controls, communications, and protection schemes
• Engage in a discussion on existing and developing microgrid technologies
• Review microgrid impacts on the environment, local resiliency, and a stronger grid

 

Friday, February 7, 2025 : Central Time

 

The Definition, Variety, and Applications of Microgrids

• How a microgrid fits into the larger smart grid concept
• Defining a microgrid
• The evolution of the grid from its inception, eventual interconnection, the grid we have today and the next phase
• The long list of microgrid benefits for grid operators, local facilities, the environment, and national security
• Hardening the grid for national security and recovering from national disasters using microgrids
• Using microgrids for grid support and ancillary services like contingency reserve obligations and fast frequency response
• How facilities like critical city services can use microgrids to drastically increase power redundancy, flexibility, and contingency planning
• Microgrids helping to meet decarbonization goals
• The services that microgrids provide to grid operators during an outage
• Considerations when selecting a site, facility, or partner
• What are distributed energy resources?
• What are the various types of microgrids and the purpose and value each provides?
• Behind the meter microgrids
• Microgrids located at generation or transmission facilities
• Residential microgrids
• PV co-located microgrids
• Microgrid examples
• The next step in microgrid evolution, distribution level microgrids and Mars

Microgrids Financing and Contracts

• Options for funding grid-scale microgrid projects
• Scenarios to consider when building a contract
• Things to consider when developing a program
• What are the largest costs of a microgrid?
• Strategies and technologies to decrease installation time and cost

Challenges, Regulations and Policies

• Design challenges, voltage drop, load tap changers and reverse power
• Site configuration challenges
• Fairly balancing grid resilience and perceived customer preference
• FERC permitting and Department of Environmental Quality implications
• NERC and Power Pool requirements
• 1547 Standards
• State House Bill legislation

Microgrids Configuration, Protection and Controls

• Understanding the layout and configuration using a simplified one line
• The purpose of the parts and pieces of a microgrid, i.e., switchgear, bus, interconnection relay, battery, solar, generator, communications rack, PLC, controller, radios, transceivers, UPS, HMI, etc.
• Difference between parallel, series and generator, motor, engine
• Sequence of events during an outage or a call for grid ancillary service
• Interconnection and anti-islanding protection protocols, i.e., transfer trip, hot line blocking and synchronization

Brent Olsen, President, 3 Phase Consulting

Brent has 25+ years of experience working for large electric utility industries including Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Portland General Electric.  He has worked in distribution, transmission and generation engineering and is currently a Project Manager for Specialized Energy Operations where he manages the installation of generation facilities, microgrids, and various research and development projects.  He leads a user group of utility professionals who follow and discuss business and technological changes in the electric utilities industry.

Brent is an electrical engineer specializing in utility power systems with a master’s in Energy Policy and Management and an MBA.  He is also a PMP, has a degree in Spanish and is the two-time winner of PGE’s Project Manager and Project of the Year awards, each for innovative microgrid projects.

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a separate email with a unique link to a personalized landing page which will include links to join all sessions of this event.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Fundamentals of Microgrids

February 7, 2025 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before January 03, 2025 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.7 CEUs for this event.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Case studies, PowerPoint presentations, and group discussion will be used in this event.

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 7.5
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preperation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend

• Engineers, managers, professionals, and policy analysts from the utility industry
• Facility managers and electrical engineers for corporate, academic, or residential campuses
• State regulators and staff
• County and municipal officials
• Distributed generation industry
• Combined heat and power industry
• Renewable energy suppliers
• Researchers and academics
• Military advisors
• Hardware suppliers, advanced metering vendors, software vendors, construction firms