Opus One Solutions (Opus One), Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) and a consortium of partners announced a $12.4m North American multi-utility microgrid project.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) will provide $4 million USD in funding to support the project, designed to improve integration of distributed energy resources and commercial microgrids into power systems and regional wholesale markets.
The project will demonstrate smart and integrated transactive energy networks that integrate wind, solar, electric vehicle charging stations, battery storage and feeder-based microgrids into traditional electricity power systems at three utilities in the United States and Canada.
"Today's power grid needs advanced storage solutions to accommodate the variability of renewable generation," said Alain P. Steven, Chief Technology Advisor of AMS and former CTO of PJM Interconnection. "The combined platform will provide grid operators with grid reliability services while lowering the net costs of storage through participation in wholesale and developing distribution markets."
"We are thrilled to work with a leading technology provider like Advanced Microgrid Solutions to complement the capabilities of our intelligent energy networking software platform, GridOS®," said Joshua Wong, CEO and President of Opus One. "Transforming the electricity grid requires leaders willing to adopt innovative technologies and we are grateful that SDTC is supporting this partnership to flourish."
The project combines AMS's advanced analytics and economic optimization platform and Opus One's GridOS®, a real-time distribution energy networking platform, to build a smart and integrated transactive energy network. Opus One will lead the consortium, which includes AMS, Emera Maine, Smarter Grid Solutions and The Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson University.
The multi-utility project includes development of a commercial microgrid consisting of solar, battery storage and back-up diesel generation integrated with distribution-level feeder operations and the regional transmission operator; a distributed energy resources (DERs) management demonstration project; and a feeder-based microgrid featuring wind resources, grid-scale energy storage and up to 10 residential battery systems. AMS's platform will perform an economic optimization of the DERs, while Opus One's GridOS® will ensure that the DERs are optimally dispatched within the physical constraints of the grid. Behind the meter microgrids will provide grid and market operators virtual resources capable of providing integrated demand response and advanced ancillary services. In front of the meter microgrids will provide the grid operator with the ability to perform feeder load relief, volt/VAR optimization and conservation voltage reduction.
This is the first time AMS has participated in a Canadian project. AMS has more than 120 MW of energy storage projects under contract, including 90 MW of grid support in capacity-constrained areas in Southern California. AMS's grid-scale energy storage projects include a fleet of Hybrid Electric Buildings®, as well as grid independence projects at regional water districts and California State University campuses.