Microgrid control systems
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General information
| Name of company | Ferntech |
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| Website of company | https://ferntech.io |
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| Name of product | UMC (Universal Monitoring & Control) |
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| Product is hardware and/or software-platform | hardware & software platform |
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| Product standardized or project-specific? | both |
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| Distribution in which countries? | worldwide |
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| Unique selling proposition of the product | Visual programming tools to design microgrid control algorithms from the web-portal |
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| Comments | White Label, Universal, sub MW, User-friendly |
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Services of the company
| Company produces microgrid control hardware | no |
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| Company programs microgrid control software | yes |
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| Company provides system integration of microgrid control hardware and software | yes |
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| Company provides EPC services for microgrid projects | no |
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| Company provides operations and maintenance of microgrids | no |
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| Comments | We offer the tools for the O&M of off-grid power systems |
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Scope of control system
| Central monitoring and control unit (Hardware) | yes |
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| Control unit is standalone product or integrated into other device (if latter, which device?) | Standalone product |
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| Other hardware components (e.g. smart meters, sensors, switches, domestic appliances, …) | We do not offer other components, but we can specify/recommend which ones could be used. |
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| Software-Platform for monitoring and control of the microgrid | yes |
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| Software-Platform is a cloud solution or installed on own server or computer? | cloud solution |
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| Software compatible with third party hardware? | yes |
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| Hardware compatible with third party software? | yes |
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| Monitoring and/or control of microgrid via smartphone app? | no |
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| Comments | |
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Microgrid layout
| Which customers is the product aimed at? (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, community, campus, military, …) | Industrial, Energy Access, commercial |
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| Focus on offgrid, grid-connected or mobile microgrids? | OffGrid, Diesel Hybrid, Mobile microgrids |
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| How many kilowatts of installed generating power can be integrated? (FROM - TO) | 10 kW - 1 MW |
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| How many different generators can be integrated? | As many as the genset controller enables |
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| AC bus system | yes |
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| DC bus system | yes |
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| Hybrid AC and DC bus system | yes |
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| Which control strategy is used to run the microgrid? (e.g. central control, master/slave control, distributed control, …) | Central control |
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| Which components are needed for grid forming in islanding operation? (e.g. battery, diesel generator, …) | Battery, Bi-directional inverter, Genset |
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| Can the system be retrofitted to existing energy system assets? | yes |
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| Can the system be expanded modularly after initial commissioning? | yes |
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| Comments | |
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Connectivity
| Supported communication protocols (e.g. Modbus TCP, Sunspec, KNX, Zigbee, …) | All open protocols used within the physical layers |
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| Supported communication interfaces (e.g. RS485, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, analog inputs an outputs, …) | CAN, RS485, RS232, Ehernet, USB, Digital I/O |
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| Connectable generators (e.g. solar PV, wind turbines, CHP, diesel generators, fuel cells, hydro power plants, …) | Inverters, Solar chargers, Diesel generators |
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| Connectable storage systems (e.g. batteries [lead, lithium, redox flow, …], flywheels, heat storage, …) | Lithium batteries |
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| Connectable loads (e.g. heat pumps, heating boilers, charging stations for e-mobility, refrigerators, …) | external power relays for load shedding |
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| What components/brands can be integrated 'plug & play'? | Power electornics: SMA, Victron, Steca, Schneider, Studer, Morningstar, Voltronics, Eltek;
Batteries: Pylontech, BYD, Autarctech;
Genset controllers: Comap, Deepsea, CAT;
Power meters: Qeed, Carlo Gavazzi, E-Gauge;
Flow meters: Technoton;
Weather sensors:Rainwise, IMT solar; |
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| What components/brands have to be integrated manually? | |
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| How are components integrated manually? (e.g. connection boxes, command-line interface, ...) | |
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| Software-Platform has graphical user interface for integration and configuration of external devices? | yes |
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| Software-Platform has graphical user interface for programming energy management options? | yes |
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| Communication between control system and energy system assets is wired or wireless? | wired communication |
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| SCADA integration possible? | opt. |
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| Other options to connect the microgrid to a higher-level distribution grid (e.g. smart meter gateway, CLS-interface, ...) | TBD |
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| Can smart home systems be integrated into the microgrid? | opt. |
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| Is the data encrypted during data transfer? If so, how? | Yes. Via industry standard encyprtion methods |
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| How is the system protected against threats from outside? | via Firewalls. |
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| How are firmware updates realized? | User updates the firmware manually |
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| Comments | |
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Functions
| Grid conntected operation | yes |
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| Islanding operation | yes |
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| Automated transition from islanding to grid-connected mode and back | opt. |
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| Time required for transition from grid-connected to islanded mode (in seconds) | |
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| Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) | opt. |
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| Operation is also possible without connection to the internet | in grid connected and islanding mode |
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| Operation is also possible without connection to control room of higher-level distribution system operator (DSO) | in grid connected and islanding mode |
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| Asset control of distributed energy resources | yes |
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| Load management defining curtailable loads and priority loads | opt. |
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| Automated dispatch control and optimization | opt. |
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| Automated Re-dispatching in response to external orders or unplaned internal events | |
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| Internal voltage and frequency regulation in islanding mode | yes |
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| Real time active and reactive power control | opt. |
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| Control of power exchange and voltage levels at point of interconnection | opt. |
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| Aggregated ramp rate control at point of interconnection | opt. |
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| Phase balancing between different AC phases | opt. |
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| Black start capability | no |
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| Comments | |
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Energy management options
| Increase in self consumption | opt. |
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| Increase of self-sufficiency | opt. |
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| Peak Shaving | opt. |
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| Charging of electric vehicles | no |
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| Energy management of thermal energy assets? (e.g. heat pumps, thermal storage, ...) | opt. |
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| Backup power | yes |
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| Zero feed-in | no |
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| Ancillary services for public grid (e.g. frequency regulation, reactive power control, …) | Low Voltage grid support |
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| Consideration of weather forecasts | opt. |
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| Consideration of energy load predictions | opt. |
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| Consideration of changing energy prices on the energy market | no |
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| Use of AI or self-lernings algorithms | no |
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| Blockchain based billing and/or pay as you go solution | no |
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| Participation in the energy market | no |
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| Comments | |
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Price indication
| Hardware: One-time acquisition costs for central control unit (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro) | 500 - 1500 |
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| Hardware: Monthly maintenance costs for central control unit (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro) | TBD |
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| Hardware: Costs for other necessary system components? (e.g. smart meters, switches, …) | |
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| Software: One-time acquisition costs (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro) | 200 - 500 |
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| Software: Monthly maintenance costs (without VAT) FROM - TO (approx. retail price in Euro) | TBD |
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| Are there renting or leasing options? If so, what are those options? | no |
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| Comments | |
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| Price information available | yes |
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Best practice project
| Information on reference projects available | yes |
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| Best practice project - ongrid | Toghether with our customers Kverneland Energi (https://kvernelandenergi.no/), we've implemented a control for 'end-of-line Low-Voltage grid support'. More information here:
https://www.lysenett.no/nyheter/tester-batteri-i-nettet-article15252-15091.html
https://energiteknikk.net/2019/07/tester-batterier-som-spenningsstotte specs:
- 230V grid
- 3 SMA Sunny Island
- 1 Tesvolt Battery 19,6 Kwh |
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| Best practice project - offgrid | Toghether with our partners MFT (https://www.mft-koeln.de/) and Colenergy (https://colenergy.co/) we've developped a monitoring and control platform for a off-grid Reverse Osmosis (RO) water disalination plant.
This 'light-house' project proved the flexibility of our technology to monitor and control both the energy and the water systems.
A business model is also being tested based on gallons sales of clean water to the community.
That project was selected as one of the best water-projects in Latin-America.
more info here:
https://ferntech.io/industrial-applications
https://www.dw.com/en/clean-water-for-the-wayuu-in-colombia/av-44038759
https://www.kfw.de/stories/economy/innovation/drinking-water-demineralization-colombia/ |
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Data update
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