Microgrid control systems

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General information

Name of companyElum Energy
Website of companyhttps://elum-energy.com
Name of productePowercontrol HFS
Product is hardware and/or software-platformhardware & software platform
Product standardized or project-specific?standardized
Distribution in which countries?worldwide
Unique selling proposition of the productElum ePower Control HFS is a turnkey controller able to monitor and control PV inverters, Diesel gensets for off-grid and on-grid configuration. HFS controllers performs minimum gensets loading, reverse power protection as well as spinning reserve management for bigger projects
Comments

Services of the company

Company produces microgrid control hardwareyes
Company programs microgrid control softwareyes
Company provides system integration of microgrid control hardware and softwareyes
Company provides EPC services for microgrid projectsno
Company provides operations and maintenance of microgridsno
Comments

Scope of control system

Central monitoring and control unit (Hardware)yes
Control unit is standalone product or integrated into other device (if latter, which device?)datalogger and control unit are one device
Other hardware components (e.g. smart meters, sensors, switches, domestic appliances, …)we can integrate and provide various type of sensors such as weather stations, I/O module, meters, switches upon request)
Software-Platform for monitoring and control of the microgridopt.
Software-Platform is a cloud solution or installed on own server or computer?cloud solution
Software compatible with third party hardware?no
Hardware compatible with third party software?no
Monitoring and/or control of microgrid via smartphone app?no
CommentsYou can of course monitor and control from smartphone and tablet via webpage not app

Microgrid layout

Which customers is the product aimed at? (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, community, campus, military, …)Industrial, Commercial, Campus, community, telecom
Focus on offgrid, grid-connected or mobile microgrids?Off-grid, grid-connected, mobile microgrids
How many kilowatts of installed generating power can be integrated? (FROM - TO)100 kW - 1 MW
How many different generators can be integrated?from 1 to 8
AC bus systemyes
DC bus systemyes
Hybrid AC and DC bus systemyes
Which control strategy is used to run the microgrid? (e.g. central control, master/slave control, distributed control, …)central control
Which components are needed for grid forming in islanding operation? (e.g. battery, diesel generator, …)Grid or Diesel generator
Can the system be retrofitted to existing energy system assets?yes
Can the system be expanded modularly after initial commissioning?yes
Comments

Connectivity

Supported communication protocols (e.g. Modbus TCP, Sunspec, KNX, Zigbee, …)Modbus TCP/RTU, Sunspec, SNMP, MQTT, Solivia, Kaco, PMU,OCPP
Supported communication interfaces (e.g. RS485, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, analog inputs an outputs, …)RS485/RS232, RJ45, analog inputs output in option
Connectable generators (e.g. solar PV, wind turbines, CHP, diesel generators, fuel cells, hydro power plants, …)Solar PV, CHP, Diesel Generators, Hydro, EV
Connectable storage systems (e.g. batteries [lead, lithium, redox flow, …], flywheels, heat storage, …)Batteries
Connectable loads (e.g. heat pumps, heating boilers, charging stations for e-mobility, refrigerators, …)heat pumps, charging station
What components/brands can be integrated 'plug & play'?most of inverters brands
What components/brands have to be integrated manually?upon request
How are components integrated manually? (e.g. connection boxes, command-line interface, ...)
Software-Platform has graphical user interface for integration and configuration of external devices?yes
Software-Platform has graphical user interface for programming energy management options?yes
Communication between control system and energy system assets is wired or wireless?wired communication
SCADA integration possible?yes
Other options to connect the microgrid to a higher-level distribution grid (e.g. smart meter gateway, CLS-interface, ...)smart meter
Can smart home systems be integrated into the microgrid?no
Is the data encrypted during data transfer? If so, how?yes VPN
How is the system protected against threats from outside?VPN protocl
How are firmware updates realized?Through internet automatically
Comments

Functions

Grid conntected operationyes
Islanding operationyes
Automated transition from islanding to grid-connected mode and backyes
Time required for transition from grid-connected to islanded mode (in seconds)
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)no
Operation is also possible without connection to the internetin grid connected and islanding mode
Operation is also possible without connection to control room of higher-level distribution system operator (DSO)not possible
Asset control of distributed energy resourcesyes
Load management defining curtailable loads and priority loadsyes
Automated dispatch control and optimizationyes
Automated Re-dispatching in response to external orders or unplaned internal eventsyes
Internal voltage and frequency regulation in islanding modeno
Real time active and reactive power controlno
Control of power exchange and voltage levels at point of interconnectionyes
Aggregated ramp rate control at point of interconnectionyes
Phase balancing between different AC phasesno
Black start capabilityyes
Comments

Energy management options

Increase in self consumptionyes
Increase of self-sufficiencyyes
Peak Shavingyes
Charging of electric vehiclesyes
Energy management of thermal energy assets? (e.g. heat pumps, thermal storage, ...)yes
Backup powerno
Zero feed-inyes
Ancillary services for public grid (e.g. frequency regulation, reactive power control, …)some of them possible
Consideration of weather forecastsyes
Consideration of energy load predictionsyes
Consideration of changing energy prices on the energy marketopt.
Use of AI or self-lernings algorithmsyes
Blockchain based billing and/or pay as you go solutionno
Participation in the energy marketno
Comments

Price indication

Hardware: One-time acquisition costs for central control unit (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro)3500 - 9000
Hardware: Monthly maintenance costs for central control unit (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro)
Hardware: Costs for other necessary system components? (e.g. smart meters, switches, …)on request
Software: One-time acquisition costs (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro)free software ePowerMonitor Lite
Software: Monthly maintenance costs (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro)200 - 1000 Euro/year
Are there renting or leasing options? If so, what are those options?no
Comments5 years warranties
Price information availableyes

Best practice project

Information on reference projects availableyes
Best practice project - ongridAzimut360 600kWp SMA 6 gensets without batteries in Gambia for a research center. It helps as well women empowerment for this project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT8Ul4GdWOg
Best practice project - offgrid

Data update

Data updateNov 2019

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