Implementation of Microgrid on the University Campus of UNICAMP- Brazil: Case Study

Abstract

Based on the development of new technologies in the electrical engineering field, microgrids can be understood as the effective implantation of smart grids. These, in turn, have functionalities for energy management, such as voltage control, frequency, and demand management, and can also operate in a connected or island mode concerning the utilities resources. In the face of such technological advances and energy management, this paper presents a proposal for the implementation of a microgrid, called CampusGRID. This microgrid will be installed on the University Campus of UNICAMP - Brazil, being connected to a 11.9kV level voltage grid with 2370 kVA power rated shared among eleven points of connections and demand varying from 475 to 768 kW. For the control of loads (electric vehicle, classroom buildings, laboratories, libraries, convention center, multidisciplinary gymnasium), it is proposed to automate the circuits in the secondary side of transformers to control the loads, as well as the monitoring of these. For the power generation system, a set of distributed energy resources (DER) was considered, such as photovoltaic sources (PV), sources with cogeneration known for the combination of heat and power (CHP) using natural gas and storage system with lithium-ion batteries. These energy resources will be controlled by a centralized energy management system, with fiber-optic network communication, ensuring signal synchronism to the equipment for the provision of services, as well as serving as a means to collect the data set from the respective equipment for studies and performance improvements of the CampusGRID microgrid. Keywords: Microgrid; DER; EMS; Smart Grid;