Control and Design of Microgrid Components

Economic, technology and environmental incentives are changing the face of electricity generation and transmission. Centralized generating facilities are giving way to smaller, more distributed generation partially due to the loss of traditional economies of scale. Distributed generation encompasses a wide range of prime mover technologies, such as internal combustion (IC) engines, gas turbines, microturbines, photovoltaic, fuel cells and wind-power. Most emerging technologies such as micro-turbines, photovoltaic, fuel cells and gas internal combustion engines with permanent magnet generator have an inverter to interface with the electrical distribution system. These emerging technologies have lower emissions, and have the potential to have lower cost, thus negating traditional economies of scale. The applications include power support at substations, deferral of T&D upgrades, and onsite generation.