Rightsizing the Design of a Hybrid Microgrid

Selecting the sizes of distributed energy resources is a central planning element when designing a microgrid. Decision makers may consider several important factors, including, but not limited to, capacity, cost, reliability and sustainability. We introduce a method for rightsizing capacity that presents a range of potential microgrid design solutions, allowing decision makers to weigh their upsides and downsides based on a variety of measurable factors. We decouple component-specific modeling assumptions, energy management system logic and objective measurements from our simulation-based nested binary search method for rightsizing to meet power loads. In doing so, we develop a flexible, customizable and extensible approach to microgrid design planning. Aspects which have traditionally been incorporated directly in optimization-centric frameworks, such as resilience and reliability, can be treated as complementary analyses in our decoupled approach. This enables decision makers to gain exposure to a wide range of relevant information and actively participate in the microgrid design assessment process.

Automated summary

This study introduces a flexible method for determining the capacity and designing microgrids through decoupling component models, energy management logic and objective measurements. Decision makers are enabled to participate in the microgrid design assessment process and gain exposure to a wider range of relevant information.