[RE-wrenches] Generator Controlled Mini Grid

[Kevin Pegg]

Hi Drake, 

Further, can you give us an idea what scale you are talking here - ie PV and Generator capacity? With your mention of inverter/generator if your talking ie the small Honda EU6500 or such? 

I did think of another project that I am involved with - it's a remote community with conventional diesel power plant (100 kW day, 30 kW night). There is 27 kW of distributed PV over 5-6 different homes, using the older Xantrex GT inverters. It's not the most elegantly designed solution - as it's possible for PV output to be greater than the load which causes shutdowns. In that case, a dump load is kicked in briefly and that bumps the frequency enough to kick the GT inverters offline, and then the cycle repeats. 

Not my design, but it does work and has been this way for several years now. 

Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org]On Behalf Of Drake
Sent: February 10, 2013 10:46 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator Controlled Mini Grid


Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the Eigg video.  What a great place.

I didn't see evidence of any AC coupling of inverter produced AC to a 
generator produced mini grid.  I understand this is being done in a 
homebrew manner by some.

The current wisdom on the issue is that the less the PV contribution 
to the generator supplied grid is, the easier.  It would seem that if 
a grid tie inverter output could be regulated, using Sunny Island 
type controls, it should be possible to have a small inverter 
generator create a mini grid that could be fed by PV.

A system featuring this type of technology was linked in a posting on 
this list some years ago, The link seems dead now.  In that case a 
large generator was feeding a number of houses, and PV was fed into 
the system.

The reason for this interest is that battery backup systems are much 
more expensive than generators.  We need to find a way to utilize PV 
arrays during outages without the expense of battery backup systems.

Drake


At 07:42 PM 2/8/2013, you wrote:
>Hi Drake,
>
>SMA has very good solutions for this. Does this out of the box 
>without a bunch of custom control systems. I have put a few systems 
>in like this, but the renewables not yet online (generator / battery 
>now). If you google Isle of Eig you will find some info on what they 
>have done there.
>http://islandsgoinggreen.org/about/eigg-electric/
>
>Kevin
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org]On Behalf Of Drake
>Sent: February 8, 2013 6:41 AM
>To: RE-wrenches
>Subject: [RE-wrenches] Generator Controlled Mini Grid
>
>
>A potential customer is interested in a mini grid, set up by a
>generator, to connect his array to.
>
>Some years back, on this list, an article was linked about a
>community with a central generator that had PV input to the generator
>supplied, local grid, using electronic controls.
>
>Has any progress been made in this technology?  Does anyone have a
>link to the electronic control equipment or any other relevant information?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Drake
>
>_______________________________________________
>List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Home Power magazine

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Options & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org