Microgrid Training Education
Microgrid Training Education: The United States Department of Energy Microgrid Exchange Group defines a microgrid as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources (DERs) within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid. A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the “big grid” to enable it to operate in both connected or island-mode.
This ability to operate independently off the larger grid system is important because that means a microgrid can continue to supply power in times of crisis like storms or power outages. This is possible because a microgrid can be powered by distributed generators, batteries or renewable resources like solar panels.
A microgrid not only provides backup for the grid in case of emergencies, but can also be used to cut costs, or connect to a local resource that is too small or unreliable for traditional grid use. A microgrid allows communities to be more energy independent and, in some cases, more environmentally friendly.
Until recently, it was mostly the military, communities, institutions and utilities that used microgrids. But businesses are now adopting microgrid technology faster than any other sector. The reason is primarily as an insurance policy. Power outages are expensive, and they hurt the bottom line. The U.S government pegs the annual cost of power outages to the nation’s economy at $18 billion to $33 billion.
Power outages are particularly costly for data centers. The Ponemon Institute says that the average cost of a data center outage increased from $505,502 in 2010 to $740,357 in 2016, a 38 percent net change. For an industrial facility, even a momentary outage can be costly. If a dairy processor, for example, loses power for just a few minutes, it must shut down its operation to clean equipment under safety regulations. The process can take several hours.
There are several different types of microgrids, such as:
- Campus Environment/Institutional Microgrids — The focus of campus microgrids is easily aggregating existing on-site generation with multiple loads located in tight geography.
- Community Microgrids – These can serve a few up to thousands of customers and support the penetration of local energy (electricity, heating and cooling). In a community microgrid, some houses may have some renewable sources that can supply their demand as well as that of their neighbors within the same community.
- Military Base Microgrids – These microgrids are actively deployed with special attention paid to cybersecurity as well as the physical elements.
- Healthcare Microgrids – These have become more popular with growing concerns about the reliability and rising costs of on-grid power.
- Remote Off-grid Microgrids – Unlike other types of microgrids, these never connect to the big grid and operate in an island mode continuously because of geography or economic issues.
Microgrid Training Education
Tonex offers Microgrid Training, a 2-day course where participants learn about the microgrid concept, different approaches to control the microgrids, microgrid operation modes, protection of microgrid against faults, benefits of microgrids in power systems, and microgrid different functionalities.
Who Should Attend
- All individuals who need to understand the microgrid concept
- Power utility engineers working in microgrid and renewable energy industry
- Test engineers starting a career in renewable energies
- Power traders to develop microgrid based projects
- Independent system operator personnel working with microgrids
- Electric utility personnel who recently started career involved with advanced power electronic devices
- Technicians, operators, and maintenance personnel who are or will be working at microgrid based companies
- Faculty members from academic institutes who want to teach the microgrid course
- Investors and contractors who plan to make investments in microgrid industry
- Managers, accountants, and executives of electric power system industry.
Related Courses
—Microgrid Systems Engineering Training (4 days)
—Microgrid Training Crash Course (3 days)
—Microgrid Certification Training | Microgrid Certificate (4 days)
The Tonex Way
- It’s all about relevancy and focus. What’s the point of teaching courses with information that your workforce can’t use? Your productive goals are what matter. Our world-class trainers understand this and tailor classes specifically for your employees and your organization.
- Ratings tabulated from student feedback post-course evaluations show an amazing 98 percent satisfaction score.
- Reasonably priced classes taught by the best trainers is the reason all kinds of organizations from Fortune 500 companies to government’s key agencies return for updates in courses and hands-on workshops.
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