Conversion of communal energy systems into microgrids for electricity outages of very long durations

Abstract

This research provides a methodology that addresses the design of microgrids for communities that may include different types of consumers and energy systems. It focuses on outages of very long durations, which have been mostly ignored so far, but are expected to become more common as the impact of climate change increases. The methodology identifies optimal solutions for converting and expanding existing communal energy systems into microgrids, given the widespread installation within communities of renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic systems. The methodology addresses the design and installation of optimal microgrids as a decision-making process, in which end-users must be involved and that starts from an analysis of their needs and requirements. The methodology is applied in a case study of two real-life grid-connected collective communities. It also includes an analysis of the possibility to create an extended system by linking the microgrids. The methodology’s application led to some unexpected results, such as the fact that continued energy supply for domestic consumption was considered more critical than for workplaces and communal facilities, and that there was a clearer justification for the installation of more expensive microgrid systems that can cope with longer outages.