Microgrid test bench for small-scale renewable microsources

Microgrid technology enables reliable control and distribution of electricity on a small scale which can have a major impact on developing communities and can help to meet the UN´s initiative to provide Universal Access to Modern Energy Services by 2030. Since the distributed energy resources (DER) of microgrids in rural areas will likely be dependent on renewable energy sources (RES), system stability and reliability will be a challenge. However, implementing a microgrid without proper experimentation of the dynamics of the DER and load variations is impractical. A microgrid test bench has been constructed at the University of Wisconsin - Madison which will allow for thorough experimentation. The experimentation will focus on RES using the wind turbine and solar emulator available in the lab. Additionally, other appropriate technologies that were developed at UW-Madison, like the recycled E-waste “Microformer” for micropower distribution, will be evaluated. Experimentation will justify the implementation of microgrid technologies for reliable energy distribution for the developing world and rural communities.