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Solar Energy Research and Development at Brookhaven National Laboratory
Patrick Looney Chairman, Sustainable Energy Technology 2011 Advanced Energy Conference October 12, 2011
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BNL’s research agenda for the electric grid focuses on developing applied research capabilities in key areas
- Smart Grid Development in the Northeast
- Evaluation/validation of advanced approaches to simulation of distribution
networks and systems (e.g. graph trace analysis using iterators)
- Using large data sets to inform decisions on grid operation, validate/improve
simulation
- Evaluation of new grid technologies and control strategies for improved
efficiency and reliability
- Implementation of automated demand response, particularly in high density
urban applications
- Improving grid security and resilience
- The role of micro-grids and how to manage them
- Integration of Renewable Energy Generation on the Grid
- Characterization of renewable generation in terms of variability, reliability and
capacity credit
- Impact of renewables on the grid in terms of controllability, reliability and
power quality (e.g., solar, wind)
- The role of storage and how it might mitigate the impacts of renewables
- Implementation of advanced inverter control schemes to improve grid control
(e.g., DVAR, Voltage regulation)
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BNL has several ongoing initiatives that GARS will leverage as part of this research initiative
NSERC LISF AEGIS* Energy Storage Hub BNL Sustainability Program Smart-Grid Demo Grid Research
* GARS is lead
SLIDE 4 Long Island Solar Farm, LLC
- 32 MWac grid-connected solar
photovoltaic plant being built at BNL
- Owned by Long Island Solar Farm, LLC
(company partially owned by BP Solar)
- Purpose is to sell power to LIPA under a PPA
- Commercial operation expected Nov. 1, 2011
- GARS will evaluate data from LISF to
investigate the impacts of utility-scale renewable energy generation on the grid LISF Solar Energy Research
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The BNL Northeast Solar Energy Research Center will include a dedicated research array that will be connected to the BNL distribution system
- Solar PV Array Size
- 700kw to 1MW
- Connected to BNL electrical distribution
system
- Research Enabled
- Data to validate electrical system models
with integrated renewables
- Role of innovative inverter controls (DVAR,
voltage regulation) NSERC Solar Energy Research Facility
SLIDE 6 The installation of smart sensors in the BNL distribution system enables using the site as a microgrid test area
- BNL has a 50 MW base load
representative of a typical industrial complex; 13.8 kV primary distribution
- An active collaboration is in
place for placing a network of new generation grid sensors in the BNL distribution system
generation on the BNL grid.
- Beyond solar, there may be
- ptions for wind and CHP
installations as well.
Smart Micro-Grid Demonstration Project
SLIDE 7 A key motivation for pursuing solar energy research at BNL is the construction of a solar plant on site …
- 32 MWac grid-connected solar
photovoltaic plant being built at BNL
- Owned by Long Island Solar Farm, LLC
(company partially owned by BP Solar)
- Purpose is to sell power to LIPA under a PPA
- Commercial operation expected Nov. 1, 2011
- Located on 195 acres on BNL campus
under an easement from DOE
- Consideration (in-kind funds) provided to DOE
- BNL can instrument and collect data from the
array for research purposes
- BNL has developed a research agenda
to leverage this unique opportunity
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North Array Field South Array Field LIPA Substation
The solar plant includes two array fields located on the BNL campus in close proximity to the LIPA substation
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Aerial view of the LISF plant as of May 11, 2011 Aerial view of the LISF plant as of June 30, 2011
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Our research agenda focuses on issues that will foster the deployment of utility-scale solar PV systems
- Solar Variability
- Characterize solar variability for plants in the northeast
- Forecasting the solar resource – Min/Hours/Day ahead
- Leverage BNL core capability in cloud physics
- Leverage access to NOAA facility on site
- Predicting solar plant power output
- Tie forecasting models to electrical models
- Capacity credit for solar PV plants
- Grid Integration
- Impact of solar variability on grid management
- Different penetration levels
- Impact of distributed generation on the grid
- Grid control, power quality, reliability
- The role of storage
- The role of advanced solar technologies
- Inverters with DVAR, voltage regulation
- Environmental Impacts
- Impact of utility-scale solar PV plants on local
environment and ecology:
- In what ways? - how can adverse impacts be
minimized?
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BNL has made significant investments to provide research instruments for the array
- Solar Resource Data
- Field-based pyranometers: 32 pairs to measure direct
and diffuse irradiance across the entire array
- Baseline irradiance: precision measurement of irradiance
at base station to quantify uncertainties in field data
- Solar tracking measurements
- Rotating shadowband radiometer
- Meteorological Data
- Temperature (air and panel)
- Relative Humidity
- Barometric Pressure
- Wind speed and direction
- Rain gauge
Total Sky Imagers – Clouds Electrical Performance Data
- Power quality monitors at all inverters, collection
substation, and LIPA feeders to BNL
- DC current and voltage at all strings
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BNL’s solar energy research agenda will require LISF plant data plus other capabilities…
Challenge Issue LISF Data Other Capabilities Variability and Non-Dispatchability Reliable Data Sets X Impacts of Weather X X Managing Non-Dispatchability X Forecasting Models X X Grid Integration Impact of Penetration Levels X X Advanced Grid Communication/Control X Load Flow and Fault Currents X Deployment of New Technologies X Environmental and Ecological Impacts to Local Vegetation/Animals X Impacts to Regional/Global Climate X Life-Cycle Assessments X Recycling Options X X System Performance In Northeast Compare Different Technologies X Performance Degradation X O&M Processes X X
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BNL is developing a separate solar research facility: Northeast Solar Energy Research Center (NSERC)
- NSERC Research will supplement
research capabilities offered by the LISF and enable research in various
- ther areas of interest to the solar
industry
- Dedicated research array for field
testing
- Laboratory space for standardized
testing
- Technology development test bed
- Testing in Northeast conditions
- Solar PV Array Size
- 700kw to 1MW
- Connected to BNL electrical distribution
system (13.8 kV)
- Crystalline Silicon PV modules
- Open racks for comparison tests of
- ther PV technologies
- Configuration
- Re-configurable to simulate different
- perating scenarios
- e.g. Multiple, small (100kw) arrays, one
block,
- Fixed tilt with capability for Trackers
- BOP Equipment
- Capability for running macro and micro
inverters
- Capability to include storage
- Research instrumentation
- Similar to LISF (meteorological, solar
resource, power quality)
- High Sample Rates – 1 sec data
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Preliminary Research Agenda for the NSERC
- Smart Grid Integration Studies
- Research on strategies that improve communication and control
- Techniques for integrating large numbers of systems into utility grids
- Energy Storage Research
- Value propositions for integrated grid-level storage
- Evaluation of storage and control alternatives
- Reduce intermittency, resource extension
- Frequency regulation capability
- Field Testing for Deployment of New Technologies
- Evaluation and testing of new design concepts, such as inverters with
capability for voltage regulation and VAR control
- Comparison of performance for components and systems using different
technologies
- Reliability and Degradation Studies
- Long-term reliability and degradation studies under Northeast conditions
- Standardized test conditions to evaluate component degradation
- Post mortem testing and failure analyses
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NSERC would include laboratories to support solar energy research projects…
- Solar Energy Research
- Standardized testing of solar system
components
- Solar Resource Simulators
- Load simulators
- Environmental chambers
- Failure Analyses
- National PV Environmental Research
Center
- Environmental, health and safety
aspects of photovoltaic systems
- Life-cycle analyses
- Meteorological Services program
- On site Met services
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Collaborations and Partnerships are welcome!
For more information: Patrick Looney Chairman Sustainable Energy Technologies jlooney@bnl.gov 631-344-3798
