Naveed Ahmed

Microgrid Interface Kit (MIK) is an innovative technology with a power storage battery, a dedicated control system, and a cloud-based remote service. This system enables uninterrupted power supply to both rural and urban areas during planned and unplanned power outages, reports WealthPK.

Dr Hassan Abbas Khan, Associate Professor of Engineering at Syed Babar Ali School of Sciences and Engineering (SBASSE) of LUMS, Lahore, told WealthPK that MIK is a modular, standardized and scalable microgrid solution. As a plug-and-play solution, it can provide cost-efficient access to a reliable power supply for electrical appliances in rural and urban areas.

Pakistani scientists have designed and developed a plug-and-play microgrid interface kit, which can integrate multiple standalone solar systems or multiple UPS backup systems to formulate a microgrid. Hassan described MIK as a localized group of interconnected electricity loads which distribute energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries (e.g., cities, communities, campuses). It can act as a single controllable entity to multiple electrical loads.

MIK can store and distribute energy from an array of different-sized connected power setups. These can be deployed anywhere for local reliability, resilience, and operational efficiency of the power supply. The cost-efficient, portably designed solution is relevant for rural as well as urban areas. It will also help maximize the use of renewable energy sources while reducing dependence on the fossil fuels used by generators.

Explaining the functioning of the prototype, he said MIK is comprised of a bidirectional converter that contains AC-DC/DC-AC converter controls. During operation, the device can transfer active power from the DC grid to the AC grid and vice versa. It also has a control regime and an energy accounting mechanism (electricity meter).

He said the GUI-based web and mobile applications are developed and integrated with the prototype. It helps individual users to log their energy transactions and set their transaction preferences for enhanced profitability. MIK has the potential to enhance the utility of standalone power systems. It is useful for end users ranging from rural consumers to urban consumers with backup systems installed in their households and industry electricity network, Hassan added.

All the equipment necessary to run the microgrid has been integrated into a container, including a power converter and a dedicated control system, to make the deployment faster, easier and safer. The customer can configure the microgrid to integrate energy from solar, wind, primary grid or diesel generator supply based on the application and local conditions.

MIK is compact and has various pre-designed variants to meet varying customer needs depending on the energy demand. The standard integrated functionalities include grid-connected and off-grid operation with seamless transition. It is a containerized solution for easy transportation, fast installation, and on-site deployment.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk