From Army AL&T Magazine, this article written by Marnie de Jong, Research Project Manager for the Renewable Energy for Distributed Undersupplied Command Environments program in CERDEC CPI Army Power, discusses the concept, challenges, and potential solutions to using the "Micro-Grid" to provide a more economical and available source of power for soldiers in austere environments.
IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology
IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology
MicroGrid and Energy Storage System COMPLETE DETAILS NEW PPT Abin Baby
A microgrid is a localized grouping of electricity generation, energy storage, and loads that normally operates connected to a traditional centralized grid (macrogrid). This single point of common coupling with the macrogrid can be disconnected. The microgrid can then function autonomously. Generation and loads in a microgrid are usually interconnected at low voltage. From the point of view of the grid operator, a connected microgrid can be controlled as if it were one entity.
Microgrid generation resources can include fuel cells, wind, solar, or other energy sources. The multiple dispersed generation sources and ability to isolate the microgrid from a larger network would provide highly reliable electric power. Produced heat from generation sources such as micro turbines could be used for local process heating or space heating, allowing flexible trade off between the needs for heat and electric power.
It consists of :
Introduction to Microgrid
Microgrid key Attributes
Interconnected Microgrid
How does it work ?
Microgrid : A Smart Choice for Tomorrow
Why Microgrid!
Conventional Grid V/s Microgrid
Advantages
Conclusion
This paper presents a design and simulation of a rule based energy management system for a dc MicroGrid that considers a cost function to reflect the battery degradation and that relates to the actual battery parameters.The derivation of the battery cost function and the utilization of that to ensure an optimum utilization of the battery energy storage were presented. The detailed description of the algorithms used to implement the EMS was presented. Simulation on PSCAD/EMTDC software was used to demonstrate the operation of the EMS both under grid connected and islanded modes. Further, the inertia support provided by the super-capacitor to avoid the collapse of the dc link of the MicroGrid was demonstrated.
Grid integrated system
study on Integration of DG’s
Key challenges observed
Modelling and study of hybrid systems under different fault conditions
Propose suitable methods to over come some of these challenges
Since 2013, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) microgrid program has awarded $18 million to 9 projects statewide. This presentation was part of a free educational webinar series to help Connecticut municipalities and other interested parties better understand the technical aspects of microgrids in order to prepare a more thorough response to DEEP's 2014 Request for Proposals.
The Microgrid training crash course is a three-day intensive crash course for individuals who need to catch up on in the Microgrid area, Microgrid control, and energy management techniques in Microgrids.
This crash course won't just teach you the basics of Microgrid operation, yet additionally the main parts of a Microgrid, control of power electronic gadgets in each renewable energy source in Microgrid, diverse control algorithms accommodated Microgrids and Energy Management System (EMS) in Microgrids.
Audience: 3 Days course designed for -
Test engineers & Power traders
Independent system operator personnel.
Investors and contractors
Professionals in other energy industries.
Electric utility personnel
Technicians, operators, and maintenance personnel
Managers, accountants, and executives of Microgrid industry.
Training Objectives:
Understand the concept Microgrids and main components used in Microgrids
Explain the operating principle of wind farms and different types of wind generation units
Describe the operation of PV system with different control algorithms implemented
Understand the battery energy storage system and its control methodology
Recognize the power electronic devices in Microgrids and describe their operation
Explain the coordinated control of Microgrid components
Understand the concept of peak shaving, load shedding, energy shifting and PV smoothing in Microgrids
Understand the energy management system in Microgrid and its application in different scales
Tackle the problems related to Microgrid applications
Understand the different operating modes of a Microgrid and be able to run the projects from the scratch up.
Training Outline:
Microgrid Technology
Photovoltaic (PV) in Microgrids
Wind Farms In Microgrids
Battery Energy Storage Systems In Microgrids
Coordinated Control of Renewable Energy Sources in Microgrids
Power Electronic Devices in Microgrids
Energy management in Micro grids
Energy Management Architecture And Control In Microgrids
Call us today at +1-972-665-9786. Learn more about course audience, objectives, outlines, pricing. Visit our website links below.
Microgrid Training Crash Course
https://www.tonex.com/training-courses/microgrid-training-crash-course/
New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative seeks to fundamentally transform the way electricity is distributed, generated and used across the State. Utilities are being challenged to adapt their business models and distribution infrastructure to meet these new goals. REV also presents an opportunity for utilities to provide their customers with a broader range of services that lead to a more diverse, innovative and resilient energy infrastructure.
A key focus of REV is the transition to local distributed energy platforms including microgrids, which can be operated in conjunction with the grid or independently in emergencies. TRC recentlypresented an educational webinar to help New York’s utilities and other decision makers take action to plan and implement successful microgrids. This presentation covers:
• Basic concepts for developing a microgrid
• Differences from operating within the conventional grid
• Preliminary engineering steps required
• Options for generation sources
The webinar recording is available at http://blog.trcsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015-01-22-10.02-Planning-a-Successful-Microgrid.mp4
Study and realization of dc micro-grid for remote areas.Umair Hashmi
DC Micro-grid is a small scale power supply network that is designed to provide power for small community.
It enables local power generation for local loads.
It is connected to both the local generating units and the utility grid thus preventing power outages
In these slides we discuss that how to trade a energy which is generated from renewable resources and how to manage that energy
Regards: Dr Muhammad Naeem
Assistant Professor CIIT WAH Cantt
MicroGrid and Energy Storage System COMPLETE DETAILS NEW PPT Abin Baby
A microgrid is a localized grouping of electricity generation, energy storage, and loads that normally operates connected to a traditional centralized grid (macrogrid). This single point of common coupling with the macrogrid can be disconnected. The microgrid can then function autonomously. Generation and loads in a microgrid are usually interconnected at low voltage. From the point of view of the grid operator, a connected microgrid can be controlled as if it were one entity.
Microgrid generation resources can include fuel cells, wind, solar, or other energy sources. The multiple dispersed generation sources and ability to isolate the microgrid from a larger network would provide highly reliable electric power. Produced heat from generation sources such as micro turbines could be used for local process heating or space heating, allowing flexible trade off between the needs for heat and electric power.
It consists of :
Introduction to Microgrid
Microgrid key Attributes
Interconnected Microgrid
How does it work ?
Microgrid : A Smart Choice for Tomorrow
Why Microgrid!
Conventional Grid V/s Microgrid
Advantages
Conclusion
This paper presents a design and simulation of a rule based energy management system for a dc MicroGrid that considers a cost function to reflect the battery degradation and that relates to the actual battery parameters.The derivation of the battery cost function and the utilization of that to ensure an optimum utilization of the battery energy storage were presented. The detailed description of the algorithms used to implement the EMS was presented. Simulation on PSCAD/EMTDC software was used to demonstrate the operation of the EMS both under grid connected and islanded modes. Further, the inertia support provided by the super-capacitor to avoid the collapse of the dc link of the MicroGrid was demonstrated.
Grid integrated system
study on Integration of DG’s
Key challenges observed
Modelling and study of hybrid systems under different fault conditions
Propose suitable methods to over come some of these challenges
Since 2013, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) microgrid program has awarded $18 million to 9 projects statewide. This presentation was part of a free educational webinar series to help Connecticut municipalities and other interested parties better understand the technical aspects of microgrids in order to prepare a more thorough response to DEEP's 2014 Request for Proposals.
The Microgrid training crash course is a three-day intensive crash course for individuals who need to catch up on in the Microgrid area, Microgrid control, and energy management techniques in Microgrids.
This crash course won't just teach you the basics of Microgrid operation, yet additionally the main parts of a Microgrid, control of power electronic gadgets in each renewable energy source in Microgrid, diverse control algorithms accommodated Microgrids and Energy Management System (EMS) in Microgrids.
Audience: 3 Days course designed for -
Test engineers & Power traders
Independent system operator personnel.
Investors and contractors
Professionals in other energy industries.
Electric utility personnel
Technicians, operators, and maintenance personnel
Managers, accountants, and executives of Microgrid industry.
Training Objectives:
Understand the concept Microgrids and main components used in Microgrids
Explain the operating principle of wind farms and different types of wind generation units
Describe the operation of PV system with different control algorithms implemented
Understand the battery energy storage system and its control methodology
Recognize the power electronic devices in Microgrids and describe their operation
Explain the coordinated control of Microgrid components
Understand the concept of peak shaving, load shedding, energy shifting and PV smoothing in Microgrids
Understand the energy management system in Microgrid and its application in different scales
Tackle the problems related to Microgrid applications
Understand the different operating modes of a Microgrid and be able to run the projects from the scratch up.
Training Outline:
Microgrid Technology
Photovoltaic (PV) in Microgrids
Wind Farms In Microgrids
Battery Energy Storage Systems In Microgrids
Coordinated Control of Renewable Energy Sources in Microgrids
Power Electronic Devices in Microgrids
Energy management in Micro grids
Energy Management Architecture And Control In Microgrids
Call us today at +1-972-665-9786. Learn more about course audience, objectives, outlines, pricing. Visit our website links below.
Microgrid Training Crash Course
https://www.tonex.com/training-courses/microgrid-training-crash-course/
New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative seeks to fundamentally transform the way electricity is distributed, generated and used across the State. Utilities are being challenged to adapt their business models and distribution infrastructure to meet these new goals. REV also presents an opportunity for utilities to provide their customers with a broader range of services that lead to a more diverse, innovative and resilient energy infrastructure.
A key focus of REV is the transition to local distributed energy platforms including microgrids, which can be operated in conjunction with the grid or independently in emergencies. TRC recentlypresented an educational webinar to help New York’s utilities and other decision makers take action to plan and implement successful microgrids. This presentation covers:
• Basic concepts for developing a microgrid
• Differences from operating within the conventional grid
• Preliminary engineering steps required
• Options for generation sources
The webinar recording is available at http://blog.trcsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015-01-22-10.02-Planning-a-Successful-Microgrid.mp4
Study and realization of dc micro-grid for remote areas.Umair Hashmi
DC Micro-grid is a small scale power supply network that is designed to provide power for small community.
It enables local power generation for local loads.
It is connected to both the local generating units and the utility grid thus preventing power outages
In these slides we discuss that how to trade a energy which is generated from renewable resources and how to manage that energy
Regards: Dr Muhammad Naeem
Assistant Professor CIIT WAH Cantt
its a presentation describing all the major features and aspects of microgrids and their contribution in solving grotesque power crises situations.
hope one would find it helpful.
email your feedback at sumitraturi001@gmail.com.
Impact of Distributed Generation on Energy LossNadineCroes
The aim is to give more insight into the effect of distributed power generation on energy loss. In most cases these distributed generators (DGs) are based on renewable energy such as solar panels and wind turbines, but there are also new technologies to increase efficiency such as the micro combined heat and power systems. Distributed generation can increase efficiency in the grid by reducing the distance between generators and consumers of electricity. The objective is to find an optimal mix of distributed generators (DGs) in a district so that energy loss is minimized and overload is avoided. The effect of using future electronic devices, such as electric vehicles, is also studied. To find an optimal mix of DGs a mixed integer quadratic programming model is defined and a case study is presented. The results indicate that the optimal solutions give substantial reductions in loss without overloading the system.
Energy Policy 2.0:Designing sustainable behavior for energy efficiencyRoman Zinchenko
People hate saving energy, but they love saving money. Greencubator's Roman Zinchenko shares how designing behavioral changes, peer pressure, psychological hacks, collaborative consumption and standing up agains the energy monopolies help combatting climate change and allow energy saving.
Lt. General (Retired) Deptula Presentation at International Conference on Air...ICSA, LLC
Lt. General (Retired) Dave Deptula spoke at the conference on the future of airpower command and control and moderated a panel on the subject. Senior active duty USAF commanders attending were USAFE Commander Gen Franc Gorenc, and AETC Commander, Gen Robbin Rand.
And on April 2, 2015 the Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies--and SLD contributor-- Deptula, received a special award recognizing his outstanding contributions to airpower. The award was presented the award by General Akın Oztürk, the Commander of the Turkish Air Force.
Incorporating Solar Home Systems (SHS) for smart grid applicationsBrhamesh Alipuria
Solar PV systems are becoming popular for powering homes, commonly known as roof top solar plants. In this paper, various ways of connecting the solar system with the smart grids has been explored. An effective method using DC grids has been concluded after the discussion.
More and more, as utilities face decreasing margin between system load and system capacity, they are in need of innovative smart grid solutions that can help them effectively disperse and store energy and manage load to meet resource requirements. Many are incorporating Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) to help fill the gap while, at the same time, meet requirements for reduced emissions and energy independence; these utilities will require the capability to accurately forecast and control DER contribution to the network, to assure security and grid reliability.
Advanced smart grid software designed to support DER management and optimize grid operations and planning works with a real-time network model, based on an accurate geodatabase and incorporating data from operational systems such as a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system and outage management system (OMS). Along with real-time visualization and monitoring of network status, this Advanced Distribution Management System – ADMS – provides a host of analytical tools that recommend the most optimal device operations, or optionally automate device operations, to maximize network efficiency and reliability. For example, the utility can apply Volt/VAR control to reduce feeder voltage automatically with no effect on the consumer. Detailed load profiling and load forecasting based on integrated weather feeds yield network load forecasting for effective renewables integration. Network simulation helps forecast medium-term and long-term load and supports effective development and planning.
ADMS functionality and tools are demonstrating that utilities can effectively manage demand without building large-scale generation.
since our electrical system consists of many interconnections .in order to have a proper transmission we need grid if we incorporate some sensors it results in smart grid .today grid system consists of all interconnection tapping points
Schneider Electric\’s PowerLogic is the worlkd's largest and most advanced range of software and meters for helping organizations understand and control energy-related cost, risk and opportunity>
Integrated Coordination of Electric Vehicle Operations and Renewable Energy G...IJECEIAES
This paper designs a microgrid energy controller capable of creating a charging or discharging schedule for electric vehicles (EVs), aiming at leveraging the integration of renewable energy and shaving the peak load in the microgrid. Dynamically activated on each time slotto cope with the prediction error for the power consumption and the renewable energy generation, the controller calculates the number of EVs to charge or make discharge first. Then, a greedy algorithm-based scheduler selects EVs according to the expected energy potentialduring their stays. The potential is the integral of a supply-demand margin function from thecurrent time to the expected departure time. A simulator is implemented for performance evaluation, comparing with uncoordinated scheduling, according to the number of EVs aswell as the behavior of energy load and production. The experiment result shows that theproposed scheme can reduce the energy waste by 16.9 %, cut down the microgrid-level energy insufficiency by 12.2 %, and enhance the amount of electricity supplied to EVs by 37.3%, respectively, for given parameter setting.
A STUDY OF POWER SAVING TECHNIQUE IN WIRELESS NETWORKScscpconf
Much research on wireless networks have focused on the power consumption of the wireless
nodes, while at the same time how to acquire power from ambient environment is another
direction to extend the battery lifetime. Though, mostly extending the lifetime of WSNs rely on
making the electronic circuitry power efficient by incorporating advances in node architecture,
transceivers, access protocols and on finite energy sources like batteries. In contrast, WSNs
Powered by Ambient Energy Harvesting can also prove to be useful and economical in the longterm
as they can operate for very long periods of time until hardware failure, because ambient
energy can be harvested from the environment perpetually. Although cellular networks account
for a rather small share of energy use, lowering their energy consumption appears beneficial
from an economical perspective. In the strive for lessening of the environmental impact of the
information and communication industry, energy consumption of communication networks has
recently received increased attention. The paper discusses the various techniques for increasing
the life of WSNs.
Enhancing hybrid renewable energy performance through deep Q-learning networ...IJECEIAES
In a stand-alone system, the use of renewable energies, load changes, and interruptions to transmission lines can cause voltage drops, impacting its reliability. A way to offset a change in the nature of hybrid renewable energy immediately is to utilize energy storage without needing to turn on other plants. Photovoltaic panels, a wind turbine, and a wallbox unit (responsible for providing the vehicle’s electrical need) are the components of the proposed system; in addition to being a power source, batteries also serve as a storage unit. Taking advantage of deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks, and this new system will take advantage of recent advances in machine learning. By employing algorithms for deep Q-learning, the agent learns from the data of the various elements of the system to create the optimal policy for enhancing performance. To increase the learning efficiency, the reward function is implemented using a fuzzy Mamdani system. Our proposed experimental results shows that the new system with fuzzy reward using deep Q-learning networks (DQN) keeps the battery and the wallbox unit optimally charged and less discharged. Moreover confirms the economic advantages of the proposed approach performs better approximate to +25% Moreover, it has dynamic response capabilities and is more efficient over the existing optimization approach using deep learning without fuzzy logic.
Power Quality Improvement in Off-Grid Renewable Energy Based Power System usi...ijtsrd
The increasing trend in integrating intermittent renewable energy sources into off-grid power system presents major challenges from the viewpoints of reliable operation and control. In this paper, the major problems and challenges in off-grid power system control are discussed, and a review of control strategies and trends is presented. A general overview of the main control is also included. The paper classifies power quality improvement strategies into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary, where primary and secondary levels are associated with the operation of the off-grid power system itself, and tertiary level pertains to the coordinated operation of the power system. Each control level is discussed in detail in view of the relevant existing technical literature Irfan Khan | Ameen Uddin Ahmad"Power Quality Improvement in Off-Grid Renewable Energy Based Power System using Different Method" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-1 | Issue-6 , October 2017, URL: http://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd2533.pdf http://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/electrical-engineering/2533/power-quality-improvement-in-off-grid-renewable-energy-based-power-system-using-different-method/irfan-khan
The US Army Squad: Foundation of the Decisive ForceBrian Lucke
An excellent report produced by AUSA's Institiute of Land Warfare. Makes an excellent case for the shift to unit-led, home station-centric training, as well as the blended training enablers to support it.
FM 7-0 Training Units and Developing Leaders for Full Spectrum OperationsBrian Lucke
Field Manual (FM) 7-0, Training Units and Developing Leaders for Full Spectrum Operations, establishes the
Army’s keystone doctrine for training units and developing leaders for full spectrum operations, on a rotational
cycle using Army force generation (ARFORGEN).
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Infrastructure.pdfCheryl Hung
Keynote at DIGIT West Expo, Glasgow on 29 May 2024.
Cheryl Hung, ochery.com
Sr Director, Infrastructure Ecosystem, Arm.
The key trends across hardware, cloud and open-source; exploring how these areas are likely to mature and develop over the short and long-term, and then considering how organisations can position themselves to adapt and thrive.
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Transcript: Selling digital books in 2024: Insights from industry leaders - T...BookNet Canada
The publishing industry has been selling digital audiobooks and ebooks for over a decade and has found its groove. What’s changed? What has stayed the same? Where do we go from here? Join a group of leading sales peers from across the industry for a conversation about the lessons learned since the popularization of digital books, best practices, digital book supply chain management, and more.
Link to video recording: https://bnctechforum.ca/sessions/selling-digital-books-in-2024-insights-from-industry-leaders/
Presented by BookNet Canada on May 28, 2024, with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Securing your Kubernetes cluster_ a step-by-step guide to success !KatiaHIMEUR1
Today, after several years of existence, an extremely active community and an ultra-dynamic ecosystem, Kubernetes has established itself as the de facto standard in container orchestration. Thanks to a wide range of managed services, it has never been so easy to set up a ready-to-use Kubernetes cluster.
However, this ease of use means that the subject of security in Kubernetes is often left for later, or even neglected. This exposes companies to significant risks.
In this talk, I'll show you step-by-step how to secure your Kubernetes cluster for greater peace of mind and reliability.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
Micro-Grid Power: Working Intelligently and Working Together
1. MICRO-GRID
POWER
Working intelligently and working together
by Marnie de Jong
LIVING EFFICIENTLY
The Rucksack Enhanced Portable Power System is a lightweight, portable power system capable of recharging batteries and/or acting as a continuous
power source. It combines anti-glint solar panels, connectors, and adaptors for increased charging options, and can charge most common military
battery types in five to six hours. (U.S. Army photo.)
72 Army AL&T Magazine
2. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
T
ihe Army traditionally has
addressed power generation
through a collection of appli-
cation-specific, stand-alone
solutions. But no matter how good the
individual technology, variations in loads
lead to inefficiencies in operation. It is
nearly impossible to keep generators oper-
ating at peak efficiency when they are
operating by themselves. That’s why the
right solution is a mix of all technologies.
Micro-grid systems are currently the only
solution that allows the incorporation
of multiple technologies, such as renew-
ables and energy storage systems, to
supplement traditional power generation
techniques. This allows us to create plat-
forms that manage and distribute power
efficiently while using smaller generators.
This type of integrated generation and
distribution system is a sustainable
practice that has applicability across all
echelons, from the forward operating
base down to the individual Soldier.
A DEVELOPING CONCEPT
GETTING SOLUTIONS TO SOLDIERS
In 2007, the Army Power division of the
The Reusing Existing Natural Energy from Wind and Solar (RENEWS) system, which leverages
Communications-Electronics Research, wind generation, solar power, and power storage, is undergoing testing at Communications-
Development and Engineering Cen- Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Command, Power, and Integration
ter’s Command, Power, and Integration (CERDEC CPI) Directorate (formerly the Command and Control Directorate). The system will be
Directorate (CERDEC CPI), formerly shipped out for user evaluations upon completion of testing. Here, NCOs view the RENEWS
the Command and Control Directorate, system as part of the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command’s Quarterly
NCO Professional Development program. (U.S. Army photo by Allison Barrow.)
in technical support of Project Manager
Mobile Electric Power within Program
Executive Office Command, Control,
and Communications – Tactical, was while reducing maintenance and the logis- Rucksack Enhanced Portable Power Sys-
one of the first DoD organizations to tical footprint. tem kit features a photovoltaic panel for
work in this area with the start of the solar charging of multiple batteries, thus
Hybrid Intelligent (HI) Power pro- This is all transparent to the Soldier; ensuring continuous power for sensors
gram, an initiative funded by the the plug-and-play system has an open, and radios. (See related article on Page 12.)
Office of the Secretary of Defense. user-friendly architecture that allows for
Its goal is to network generators and greater operational flexibility. The Soldier Power Manager takes this a
loads to a common grid to enable source step further by calculating available and
and load management, keeping in Earlier versions of this concept, focusing required power and allocating power
check redundancy of power generation on renewable energy, have been fielded to loads according to availability and
and optimizing generator performance at the Soldier level. For example, the priority. It also allows multiple power
A S C . A R M Y. M I L 73
3. MICRO-GRID POWER
generation sources to be hooked up LOOKING AHEAD Power Equipment System (SWIPES) is
simultaneously, using energy based on a Most micro-grids centralize the intelli- a first-generation example of where we
predetermined set of energy costs. gence (see Figure 1), but CERDEC CPI are going. SWIPES incorporates a vari-
is working to make all of the devices ety of pouch-mounted chargers and
The Reusing Existing Natural Energy smart so that each piece of the grid can power cables for batteries, GPS units,
from Wind and Solar (RENEWS) communicate and operate in an intel- shot detection systems, and handheld
system, which leverages wind genera- ligent manner: smart generators, smart communications within the Modular
tion, solar power, and power storage, is storage, and smart renewables. This col- Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment
undergoing performance and safety lection of autonomous systems would (MOLLE) vest. This provides power and
testing at CERDEC CPI. Once this have the capability to determine which protection for extended missions without
testing is successfully completed, the source is delivering power to a given load the burden of power source swaps or sep-
RENEWS systems will be shipped out and what to do if there is excess energy. arate power source charging.
for user evaluations.
The next step would be incorporating With these combined capabilities, the
Next up is Renewable Energy for smarts into the loads so that they can Soldier has a highly versatile system that
Distributed Undersupplied Command request power as well. That would pave is easy to use, greatly reduces the num-
Environments (REDUCE), a new mis- the way toward additional fuel reduc- ber of batteries carried, and can save 30
sion program in FY12 that is geared tion by allowing the scheduling of loads to 50 percent of battery weight on long
toward operating in the 1 to 5 kilowatt to keep peak power demands at a mini- missions. But while SWIPES provides
power space. The program focuses on mum. That said, with the large number the distribution for the Soldier, it doesn’t
incorporating renewables and energy of power-consuming systems in the have the smarts to control all of the dif-
storage on a trailer that can be towed by Army, implementing a solution like this ferent loads and sources, nor to provide
a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled is still a ways off. The idea is to go after the Soldier an interface for situational
Vehicle and can interface with traditional the larger power consumers, such as the awareness of remaining power. We
JP-8 fueled generators. Environmental Control Units, then move are not there yet, but that is where we
forward. This type of fully automated are heading.
As with HI Power, the goal of REDUCE system would require less training and
is to make things easier on the Soldier by oversight than currently fielded systems, CONCLUSION
letting the systems manage all the power. thus freeing up troops to do other tasks. The shift to micro-grids represents a
Ideally, the technologies from both pro- change in the way we do business, but it
grams will be complementary, resulting CERDEC CPI is also working on incor- is more than intelligent control and dis-
in power grid technology that addresses porating smart grids into wearable Soldier tribution of power. In order to be really
power generation, distribution, loads, platform technologies, to reduce the successful, systems will need to be able to
renewables, and storage across the full weight and number of batteries on each work intelligently with one another. The
Army power spectrum. Soldier. The Soldier Wearable Integrated key is to produce a solution that works
for everyone across the military services.
No matter how good my system is, if my
MICRO-GRID SYSTEMS ARE CURRENTLY THE ONLY system can’t talk to yours, we still have
interoperability issues.
SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS THE INCORPORATION
All of these systems have played a part
OF MULTIPLE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS in the learning process. We’ve been able
to develop numerous point-based micro-
RENEWABLES AND ENERGY STORAGE grid solutions that are specific to size,
platform, and application. But we’ve yet
SYSTEMS, TO SUPPLEMENT TRADITIONAL to establish a common operating environ-
ment for micro-grids within DoD—and
POWER GENERATION TECHNIQUES. this is important. We need an integrated
74 Army AL&T Magazine
4. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
effort whereby A plugs into B, which
plugs into C, and systems can grow or
Desired Performance Attributes
decrease with the changing demands of
the environment—scalable micro-grids.
Figure 1
All of our previous work has paved the
way for scalable micro-grids, which
allow users to add units, whether 20
or 100, without changing technologies,
platforms, or cables. Basically this is a
matter of applying the smart-grid archi-
tecture from the Soldier platform up to
the tactical operations center. Scalable
micro-grids can affect size, weight, and
power by decreasing weight while pow-
ering the same amount of equipment,
and will dramatically reduce fuel logis-
tics—especially with the incorporation
of renewable technologies.
In addition to developing a proof-of-
concept system with specifications, we
are hoping to establish working groups of
DoD and industry in this arena—or use
existing groups—but coordination across
the two communities is a major challenge.
The Power Sources 2012 conference
June 11-14, in Las Vegas, NV, will focus
on energy generation and storage tech-
nology for military application. It will
be an opportunity for Joint collabora-
tion, as it is sponsored by CERDEC CPI
Army Power and the U.S. Army Research
Laboratory in conjunction with the U.S.
Air Force, U.S. Navy, Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy, and NASA.
Micro-grid systems allow Army engineers to create platforms that manage and distribute power
efficiently while using smaller generators. Most micro-grids centralize the intelligence, but CERDEC
The conference (http://powersourcescon- CPI is working to make all the devices smart so that each piece of the grid has the capability to
ference.com) will feature demonstrations communicate and operate in an intelligent manner. (SOURCE: CERDEC CPI.)
and information concerning what we are
working on in regard to scalable micro-
grids, and we invite you to participate. for Distributed Undersupplied Command engineering from Pennsylvania State Uni-
Environments program in CERDEC versity, and an M.B.A. from the University
CPI Army Power. She holds a B.S. in of Maryland. She is Level III certified in
MARNIE DE JONG is the Research Proj- electrical engineering from the Univer- systems planning, research, development,
ect Manager for the Renewable Energy sity of Delaware, an M.S. in electrical and engineering.
A S C . A R M Y. M I L 75