A MICROGRID WORTH 'BRAGGING' ABOUT

摘要

Fort Bragg in North Carolina has created one of the world's largest microgrids by integrating a variety of distributed generation technologies that work in conjunction with the facility's utility infrastructure. The post, which sprawls over 100 square miles, owns its own electric distribution network. Despite its size, the various generation technologies are fully integrated with the post's distribution network, information technology and communications infrastructure. From a central energy management center the various generators are monitored and dispatched based on utility availability and load management requirements. As a result, Fort Bragg has enhanced energy reliability and reduced overall energy costs. To enhance power reliability while reducing costs, Fort Bragg, with guidance from Honeywell, elected to build a microgrid. A microgrid is a system of multiple power sources of potentially different sizes and technologies that serve aggregated electrical loads on a common energy distribution network. Fort Bragg has aggregated 15 diesel generators, one 5 kW fuel cell and will soon install one 5 MW gas turbine on its microgrid. Using a full parallel interface that allows seamless power flows, the generators use the post's distribution system to export power to various loads.