ComEd Awarded Grant from Department of Energy for Microgrid Controller
September 16 2014 - 11:00AM
Business Wire
Collaboration of innovators will create
platform for future microgrid development
ComEd announced that it has been selected by the United States
Department of Energy (DOE) to receive a $1.2 million grant to build
a master controller that could drive the operations of clusters of
microgrids. ComEd assembled a group of leading science and
technology partners for the DOE proposal including Alstom Grid,
Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois Institute of Technology,
Microsoft, OSIsoft, Quanta Technologies, S&C Electric,
Schneider Electric and University of Denver.
A microgrid is a localized power system with the ability to
self-supply and operate independently of, or in concert with, the
main grid to meet the energy needs of multiple entities. Microgrids
offer enhanced grid resiliency and flexibility by mitigating the
impact of power outages resulting from severe weather or other
disruptions. The master controller is considered to be the brain of
the microgrid as it collects data from a variety of individual
energy resources, centrally determines how to control and operate
those energy resources (i.e., generators, energy storage,
adjustable loads, smart switches, etc.) and sends out the control
signals that ultimately execute the power activity.
"Creating a master controller is a critical step in unleashing
the value and potential of microgrids," said Joe Svachula, Vice
President, Engineering and Smart Grid, ComEd. "While working with
our technology partners to develop a first-of-its-kind microgrid
controller that could work in a single or clustered environment,
ComEd also will gain essential insights into the foundational
building blocks for deploying a robust microgrid.”
Mohammad Shahidehpour, Director of the Robert W. Galvin Center
for Electricity Innovation and Bodine Chair Professor at Illinois
Institute of Technology, agrees.
“This award from the Department of Energy will allow IIT faculty
and staff to collaborate with ComEd, Argonne National Laboratory,
and the other partners in order to help position Chicago as a hub
for promoting energy sustainability and independence in the United
States. Through this award, IIT will be able to help further
promote the Galvin Center’s mission for excellence in smart grid
education, research and workforce development."
Microgrids can take power generation from the traditional
electric grid as well as from sustainable sources including solar
and wind. They will operate independently should disrputions occur
on the main grid. For example, even in the midst of the sweeping
devastation of Hurricane Sandy, some east coast communities were
able to maintain power during and after the severe weather impacts
by leveraging micro grids.
Support for the ComEd proposal came from several Chicago
officials, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
"ComEd’s community-based microgrid has the potential to provide
benefits to the city through improved reliability and enhanced
resiliency in response to weather related events,” said Mayor Rahm
Emanuel. “I look forward to seeing the benefits of ComEd’s plan to
the efficiency and economy of energy systems in Chicago and across
the country."
Each of the partner companies will contribute services to help
make the master controller a reality.
"There is no doubt that microgrids will be core components of
the future integrated grids and extensive research and development
efforts will be undertaken in upcoming years. The truly remarkable
and distinguishing feature of this project is that it is initiated
and will be led by a utility company,” said Amin Khodaei, Ph.D.,
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science,
University of Denver. “It is a privilege for University of Denver
to collaborate with ComEd as a forward-looking utility and its
visionary team on this important and time-critical effort. This
award will allow University of Denver to collaborate with ComEd and
leading authorities in various aspects of microgrid controller
design and planning to institute interconnected microgrids as
viable energy systems and help address ongoing challenges of
national energy security, sustainability, and resiliency."
"Quanta Technology greatly values this opportunity to support
ComEd and contribute to this important U.S. DOE energy initiative
to advance the utilization of microgrids in the U.S.,” said Damir
Novosel, President, Quanta Technologies. “ComEd's leadership
role in the development of the microgrid controller is an important
step for safe, efficient and reliable microgrid deployment. We
thank ComEd for asking us to partner with them to execute the
planning, design, testing and deployment of the controller."
“S&C is delighted to be working with one of the most forward
thinking utilities in the country on this microgrid project,” says
David Chiesa, director, Microgrid Business Development, S&C
Electric Company. “This project shows how utilities are not only
embracing microgrids, but leading the way in their wide scale
adoption.”
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive
energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd
provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across
northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For
more information visit ComEd.com, and
connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
ComEd312-394-3500
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