{"id":80581,"date":"2023-12-18T09:36:17","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T00:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=80581"},"modified":"2023-12-18T12:15:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T02:45:41","slug":"how-to-make-and-break-a-microgrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/how-to-make-and-break-a-microgrid\/","title":{"rendered":"Maverick Victorian Microgrid Breaks All the Rules (and Sometimes Itself)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

The future of energy is local, modular, and thrill-seeking \u2013 meet the microgrid, the little grid with big dreams of transforming how your appliances are powered and how your community copes with extreme weather.<\/p>\n

Out in rural Victoria, a motley team of solar panels, inverters and batteries<\/a> have teamed up to power a dozen homes. Led by lab director Professor Glenmo \u2013 part mad scientist, part renewable rabble-rouser \u2013 this scrappy microgrid is writing its own rulebook when it comes to keeping the lights on. Peak hour surges, multi-day storms, grid failures \u2013 bring it on. By pushing the operational boundaries, this tiny grid is lighting the way for all of us.<\/p>\n

Glenmo’s relatively small 30 kW islanded grid-forming system currently controls 140 kW of connected solar panels<\/a> scattered throughout the area on the microgrid. That’s a lot of solar to control when the grid goes down, and nothing’s left to soak up the excess solar power. In a recent video, Glenmo (AKA Glen Morris from Smart Energy Labs) explains how his microgrid system tames all those solar panels using Selectronic<\/a>\u00a0inverters and a clever trick from the Australian standard for grid-connected inverters to help out.<\/p>\n

Quick Definitions for Newcomers<\/h2>\n

Before we dive in, here are some basics for those new to the topic:<\/p>\n

Microgrid:<\/strong> A local energy system that creates, stores, and shares electricity independently. It often uses renewable sources like solar and wind. Microgrids can run on their own and\/or connect to the main power grid.<\/em><\/p>\n

Islanded:<\/strong> In renewable energy, “islanded” means a system is operating autonomously, separate from the main power grid.<\/em><\/p>\n

Grid-Forming:<\/strong> A power source, like a renewable energy system, that can set and maintain stable voltage and frequency levels. It synchronizes multiple energy sources, enabling a reliable power supply.<\/em><\/p>\n

Smart Energy Lab Microgrid<\/h2>\n

In the video below, check out Professor Glenmo explaining how his microgrid works, and then read on for more insights. If this piques your interest, Glen will be running an online \u2018Microgrid Design Course\u2019 in January 2024. Details are provided at the end of the article.<\/p>\n