Chennai: Anna University plans to have the modern lab to resolve issues in the micro grid, which can have electricity from both the conventional and renewable energy sources.
There are many issues with connecting the conventional energy sources and renewable energy sources into the same grid as there will be the variation of power generation between them. Wind power is seasonal and solar power is available only in a particular period of time of a day.
The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Centre for Energy Studies have submitted a proposal to the National Research Development Corporation to establish Micro Grid Innovation and Facilitation Centre at the cost of Rs 5 crore in the university.
"The idea is to test, validate and resolve issues in this area. We will do the real-time modelling using the utility grid connecting renewable energy system. We will also integrate the energy storage system," J. Kumar, director, Centre for Planning and Development, Anna University.
The lab will be given 150 kW solar energy, 100 kW wind energy and another 100kW for power storage to simulate real time micro grid. "We will give all the three powers and will look how the micro-grid is managing all this power input and observe problems and will come out with various types of solutions," he said.
Big equipment like power amplifier, solar panels and wind turbines will be needed for the facility. The work in the lab will be started in two to three months after getting the nod from NRDC.
Other research areas can also be explored with the lab like whether silicon carbide based high power devices can be a solution for converting the solar DC power into AC power.
