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pv magazine market survey on micro-grid controllers: Intelligent management for micro-grids

Decentralized micro-grids are no longer used only in off-grid regions alongside diesel generators. They integrate a variety of renewable energy sources and intelligently coordinate demand with generation linked to energy storage.

Depending on the application, micro-grids may present different energy management scenarios and can, as far as possible, independently react to unforeseen events. For example, micro-grids with intelligent control algorithms are increasingly supplying communities, industrial sites and university locations in regions with well-developed grids to offer savings on electricity costs, reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy and stabilize public grids.

That offers reason enough to take a closer look at the intelligent control devices marketed by manufacturers. Some 24 companies have sent us data on 31 of their products and the results can be found in our market overview. There you can see manufacturer information on more than 90 different services and functionalities of microgrid controllers.

Specifications include: scope of service provided by the manufacturer (soft and hardware; consulting; engineering, procurement and construction services; plant operation); hardware applications (control, monitoring, cloud solutions); microgrid layouts (bus system, necessary components, modularity); connection options (generator types, load management, supervisory control and data acquisition integration, communication interfaces, communication protocols); functions (grid-connected systems, standalone systems, uninterruptible power supply, redispatch); energy management functions (optimization possibilities, peak shaving, artificial intelligence, blockchain integration); and pricing information.

pv magazine is compiling an international market overview of micro-grid control systems which will be published online and in the next print editions of pv magazine global and pv magazine Germany.

Visit the market survey here.

Source: pv magazine