Microgrid Energy Storage Customized Price

A microgrid is a small electricity generation and distribution system containing distributed generation, energy storage systems, loads and monitoring and protection devices. It is an autonomous system that is self-controlled and self-managed. An energy microgrid provides users thermal energy for heating and cooling in addition to electricity.

In commercial/industrial and utility microgrids, soft costs (43% and 24%, respectively) represent significant portion of the total costs per megawatt. Finally, energy storage contributes significantly to the total cost of commercial and community microgrids, which have percentages of 25% and 15%, respectively, of the total costs per megawatt.

The U.S. Department of Energy commissioned the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to complete a microgrid cost study and develop a microgrid cost model. The goal is to elucidate the variables that have the highest impact on costs as well as potential areas for cost reduction. This study consists of two phases.

The control system for the smaller microgrid will likely cost less in real dollars but consume more of the overall project budget than the control system for the larger one. “Your control system may be a little less in smaller ones, but it's going to be a much larger portion of the cost than in the larger one.

The most commonly used definition of a microgrid is that from DOE as “a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid.

With energy storage, the microgrid can absorb and store the energy generated at times when supply exceeds demand, and to subsequently return it at times when demand exceeds supply (e.g., evening peaks once solar PV generation is not available).