Microgrids represent electricity grids that are typically totally off the public utility grid. Their principal applications are for military purposes. The Department of Defense (“DoD”) creates remote microgrids on fixed-base systems to supply power for diverse applications, such as forward hospitals, Tactical Operating Centers and weapons systems, among others. The current approach is to generate electric power predominantly via fossil-fuel based generators. The DoD has over 1 trillion watts of capacity in its generator inventory.
Power Controllers can create microgrids with parallel operation of energy sources including generators, renewable energy sources and power storage devices. In addition, the power quality on a Power Controller microgrid, even when powered by lower-quality utility class generators, far exceeds that of power supplied by single unit operation of the best Class I generator. The microgrid power quality exceeds that of a Precise Class I generator by
5X to 40X, depending upon which power parameter is selected, e.g. volts, frequency, etc.
The issue is not merely at the level of the generator unit itself. Poorly matched generators in a parallel configuration can lead to a catastrophic crash of the grid. Renewable energy sources and energy storage represent desired options from the tactical objectives of reducing the logistical support and cost of providing fossil fuels to forward operating centers located off the grid. However, the variability of renewable energy sources represents an added concern for the critical problem of maintaining grid stability. Moreover, the issue of grid stability is not confined to remote grids.
Umbrella Technologies is proposing a solution which not only solves the problem of creating a microgrid with clean power, but also meets all the DOE’s generating-side objectives for the Smart Grid.
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