Mono MicroGrid Project

This project is a study co-sponsored by Southern California Edison which will investigate various aspects of a microgrid in which Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) serve a significant portion of customer load. These resources include hydro generation, photovoltaic (solar) generation, and energy storage. When completed, the Demo-E project will have tested several working scenarios and will demonstrate an operating microgrid which comprises multiple DERs; all managed by a dedicated control system.

Due to an aging infrastructure and a growing concern over climate change—the U.S. power grid is in need of modernization. An array of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) has an important role to play in this renewal. But the adoption of DERs also presents several engineering challenges. Such issues are already evident in places like Hawaii, where significant penetration of PV arrays has created performance irregularities. Recent trends predict that California will face similar issues within the next 10 years. Therefore, there is a real need for the design and development of technical parameters which will inform the operation of a 21st century power grid.

There are a number of features which make this project unique in its approach:

1. This study will be conducted on an existing segment of the power grid with real components;

2. The area in question features a variety of hydro generation, solar arrays, energy storage devices, and different types of loading conditions. This makes it a representative sample for future planning;

3. The study will (in its final stage) be validated against archival data from the Southern California Edison database. This will provide a previously unrealized level of accuracy;