The recent catastrophic electric power outages in Texas have caused a renewed focus on the importance of resiliency and reliability of electric power delivery systems for residential, commercial, municipal and industrial facilities. In Texas, a major winter storm bringing unprecedented amounts of snow and ice, caused severe electric grid issues including fuel supply, electric generation (both renewable and traditional fossil fuels) and electric distribution failures, which caused billions of dollars of damage and loss of human life.
Over the last couple of decades, the US has experienced similarly devastating events such as hurricanes, ice storms, and wildfires, causing long-duration, widespread interruptions (LDWI) in electrical power. These events prove that severe weather and the resultant disruption of service can happen across many regions of the US and are not just relegated to one area.
Proactive end users that try to minimize their risk exposure by looking at resilient microgrid solutions to provide reliable electrical power both while connected to their local electrical grid or when “islanded” (separated) from the local electrical grid during short or LDWI electric power events. This technology is widely used in the US today for electric power supply resiliency and reliability. In addition, end users can use microgrids to achieve year-round efficiency (i.e., cost reduction) and sustainability (i.e., carbon reduction) goals. During normal operation, a microgrid may be operated to maximize a user’s sustainability (i.e., use of renewables like Solar PV, wind, geothermal). However, if an LDWI electric power event happens, the microgrid can be operated completely to focus on resiliency keeping their operations running at or near 100%. A microgrid can keep operations running long enough to allow employees to “shelter-in-place” and to safely return home after the catastrophe has subsided. With proper distributed energy resource (DER) selection, a microgrid can run indefinitely during the LDWI electric power event.
WAGO has teamed with companies like CE+T Power to provide microgrids to help end users achieve their resiliency, efficiency and sustainability goals. WAGO technology helps automate, connect and interface microgrid systems and provides for utility interface connection. For example, WAGO’s XTR Linux-based controller and I/O system handles extreme environmental conditions such as air temperature from -40 °C to +70 °C.
CE+T Power has created a microgrid system called the Maestro Power Management System (PMS see image) which allows an end user to integrate DERs like Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage while staying connected with the local utility or islanded from the utility and connected to facility loads like HVAC, lighting, cold storage, pumps and security systems. WAGO technology allows CE+T Power’s complex software application to run smoothly on an expandable, reliable and programmable logic controller. It is cyber-secure, allows multiple cloud connections and/or on-site control and even allows for secure connections via cell phones or tablets.
CE+T Power has a very scalable, easy-to-configure solution that does not require special programming skills. This technology is cost-effective and can help end users to achieve their electric power resiliency and reliability goals meanwhile helping to achieve their sustainability and energy cost-reduction goals.
About WAGO:
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at WAGO. From our pioneering CAGE CLAMP® spring pressure connection technology to our extensive range of Interconnect, Interface and Automation solutions, such as the fieldbus independent WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM, our customers count on the unconditional performance and reliability of our products to ensure the safe, efficient operation of their systems every time.
Who is CE+T Power?
Innovating for energy conversion since 1934, CE+T Power group has achieved worldwide recognition in its field by supplying the world’s top modular power converter solutions with the most compact and efficient technologies. Our field of expertise is in energy storage, smart grid and critical backup power solutions. If you are passionate, fighting, cause-driven, you can make this quest yours.
Text: CHRIS DUNLAP, WAGO
Photos: WAGO