Renewable Energy Microgrid Testbed at NASA AmesTestbed at NASA Ames

Research CenterJoel Kubby, Dan O’Leary, Ali

ShakouriB ki S h l f E i i D t fBaskin School of Engineering, Dept. of

Electrical Engineering, UCSC

Goals

• Set-up a unique microgrid test-bed for renewable energy monitoring, generation and storage

• Use the facility for testing systems integration of new renewable energy components

• Enable web access to the test-bed for a remote access lab in renewable energy

Microgrid Components

• Energy Generation– Tracking photovoltaic

array (6x180W PV

• Monitoring– IV curve tracer (Daystar

DS-100C)array (6x180W PV panels, Wattsun AZ 225 tracker)

– Wind turbine (Air X-12

)– Weather station (Cambell

Instruments)– Wind anemometer– Wind turbine (Air X-12,

400W, 12V DC)

• Energy Storage

– Solar radiometers• Normal incidence

PyroheliometerP i i S t l– Batteries (8x100 Ah)

– Electric Vehicle (Triac)

• Energy Conversion

• Precision Spectral Pyranometer

– Data loggerEnergy Conversion– Xantrex inverter

Energy Generation/Sustainable Power

Wind SunWind Sun

Energy Storage/Sustainable Transportation

Background

• Group project from LoCal RE 2008 Summer School on “Electricity Grid yusing Localized Renewable Generation”

• Intermittent wind and solar powerIntermittent wind and solar power generation at the household scale balanced using electric vehiclesbalanced using electric vehicles

Questions

• Is it possible to have a hybrid renewable energy system as a microgrid with an electric vehicle as battery storage?

• Could this type of microgrid system be price-competitive with typical grid-connected systems?

• How will this vary when applied to Denmark and the US respectively?

“Mind Map”

California: Solar Resource

• Highest solar radiation in the southwest (7,000 to 7,500Whr/m2/day, Yearly sum 2700kWh/m2)

• Lowest solar radiation in northwest and northeast (2 500Whr/m2/day)(2,500Whr/m2/day)

• Abundant solar resource

California: Wind Resource

• Wind resource in the coastline of California

• Highest wind power density of 500-800 W/m2 and wind speed from 8 0 tospeed from 8.0 to 8.8 m/s.

• Wind resource• Wind resource varies greatly with locality

Denmark: Solar Resource

• Yearly sum in Jutland is between 925kWh/m2 -950kWh/m2

L ll d h th• Lolland has the highest solar radiation with moreradiation with more than 1000kWh/m2

• Less solar resource• Less solar resource than California

Denmark: Wind Resource

• Abundant wind resource in the coastline. Speed > 10m/s, density > 510W/m2density > 510W/m2

• Wind resources varyWind resources vary by location, but on average are high.

Batteries

Solar Cells

System Modeling usingSystem Modeling using HOMER

https://analysis.nrel.gov/hom

Selected Components• Bergey Excel R (7 5 kW DC)• Bergey Excel-R (7.5 kW DC)• Toyota Prius with OEMTek PHEV Kit (9 kWh)• Photovoltaic (4 & 8 kW systems considered)• Photovoltaic (4 & 8 kW systems considered)• Outback 3.6 kW inverter (stackable)

Initial Findings

• The PHEV Prius Battery is too small to balance the system.

O– HOMER was unable to find a system utilizing only the Prius battery.9 kWh of storage is not enough to balance– 9 kWh of storage is not enough to balance the system in California or Denmark

– ~50 kWh battery capacity is needed to run50 kWh battery capacity is needed to run the system (Tesla EV)

Implementation of a RenewableImplementation of a Renewable Energy Testbed at NASA Ames

• Set up solar tracker (1kW), wind turbine (400W), weather station, and complete test and measurement control room at NASAand measurement control room at NASA Ames

• Follow-on proposal to add in fixed groundFollow on proposal to add in fixed ground mount PV (2kW), electric vehicle energy storage (23kWh) and recharging station

• Funding from NSF to put the facility on-line for a remotely accessible renewable energy laboratorylaboratory

• Plan to use testbed to create links with renewable energy industrial partners

Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA

Implementation of Testbed atImplementation of Testbed at NASA Ames N239

Rm 181

Site Considerations

• Reflection of sunlight off solar panels could blind pilotsp

• Impact of wind gusts on tracker panel• Moving wind turbine could be mistaken• Moving wind turbine could be mistaken

for aircraft by air traffic control radarB ildi ib ti f f t i d• Building vibrations from roof mount wind turbine

PV Tracker Installation

IV curve tracer

Radiometers

Renewable Potential Maps

Wind Turbine Installation

Anemomete HydrometerAnemometer

Hydrometer

Data logging & communicatio

ns

Predicted Wind EnergyPredicted Wind Energy Production

There isn’t much wind in Mountain View!There isn’t much wind in Mountain View!

It’s so calm you could probably land a blimp!

Initial System ConfigurationSolar panels

Future grid-ti

Solar panels and charge controller

Wind turbine

AC distribution panel

tie option

DC

AC InDC In

disconnects

DC In

1.8 kW Xantrex Power Hub for Energy Buffer

Future Energy Storage V2μG

Bi-Directional Battery Charger

Bidirectional Flow of Electricity• Test setup with t-Zero at University of p y

Delaware

Myers Motors - NMG• 15 kWh Li-ion• 80 mph• 45 Miles range• 45 Miles range• 5 h full charging

1• 1 person• Regenerative

Braking System

Green Vehicles - Triac• 23 kWh Li-ion• 80 mph• 100 Miles range• 100 Miles range• 5 h full charging

2• 2 person• Regenerative

Braking System

Tesla Roadster• 53 kWh Li-ion• 125 mph• 240 Miles range• 240 Miles range• 4-6 h full charging

2• 2 person• Regenerative

Braking System

Acknowledgements• LoCal RE 2008 study groupLoCal RE 2008 study group

– Electricity Grid using Localized Renewable Generation; Wind and Solar Power Balanced by Electric Vehicles

• Phil Chiu (UC Davis)Phil Chiu (UC Davis)• Stig Hoegberg, Nan Qin and Jiang (DTU)• Jeremy Hieb (UCSC)

• Rose Grymes, Wenonah Vercoutere, Lisa Witt, SteveRose Grymes, Wenonah Vercoutere, Lisa Witt, Steve Hinge, ASL

• Nima Mostafi, UC Santa CruzRi h d I UC M d• Richard Inman, UC Merced

• Funding– UARC Aligned Research Program– BIN-RDI

RE Incentives• Net metering

• Feed-in Tariffs

• Time of use meteringg• Smart Meter• Seasonal variations• System size speculation

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