BCIT Smart Microgrid Research

Clay HoweyOctober 2013

1Creating and Building Sustainable Environments

The ProjectCanada’s first campus based Smart Microgrid

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Current Sub-Project DetailsEnergy Management

SystemMaquinna Residence

MeteringAFRESH HomeThermal TurbineBuilding NE25Electric VehiclesSubstation Automation

LabData Communication 3

EMS - Energy Mgmt SystemCollect data from metersMeasure power

generationMonitor sensorsRespond to pricing

signals (demand response)Reduce electrical

consumptionImplement

communication standards from NIST, IEC, ANSI, EPRI, ASHRAE, etc.

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Maquinna ResidenceBackground

7 Residence buildings4 suites per building = 28

suites total12 students per suite =

336 residence studentsHouses completely

electrically powered (no gas)

Houses essentially identical

Perfect research opportunity!

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Maquinna ResidenceSolution

Smart metersEMS Residence

PortalCompetition

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EMS Residence PortalIncrease awareness of

electrical consumptionReduce consumption by

modifying consumer behavior

Social science research strongly influences portal design

Consumers sensitive to how they’re doing vs their neighbours

People like competitions…7

EMS Residence Portal

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Residence CompetitionsProvides incentive to

conserveMakes electrical

consumption visibleProvides opportunity to

test research theories about consumer behaviour

Lets utilities know what does and doesn’t work

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AFRESH HomeSolar panelsWind TurbineFuel cellEV charging stationFuel CellSmart AppliancesGridpoint EMSBeyond Net-Zero

homeGrid integration

issues

Thermal TurbineNew advanced multi-

fuel boiler in SE8Combined Heat and

Power (CHP)Waste heat used to

drive steam turbineWill generate ~ 230

kWWill allow building to

be “islanded” from grid

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Building NE25NRCAN funded projectUsing Acuakom to send

OpenADR pricing signals to commercial building automation system

Facilitates “demand response” where the building can reduce power consumption based on pricing signals

Electric VehiclesBCIT Champion of Project Get

Ready VancouverMember of Provincial Plug-In

Working Group (now called Plug-In BC)

BCIT hosts monthly meetings of Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association

Purchased 7 Level 2 Charging Stations, of which 2 have been installed on campus

Share access to Plug-In Toyota Prius with BC Hydro, Province, UVic, and CoV

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Substation Automation LabRelays and control

gear & software from multiple vendors

Interoperability testingIEC 61850 “GOOSE”

messaging over fibre optics

Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity testing

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Data CommunicationZigBee Home Area

Networks (HAN)ISM band RF & PLC

Neighbourhood Area Networks (NAN)

WiMAX Wide Area Network (WAN)

IEC 61850 over fibre and WiMAX

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SME InvolvementTantalus System CorpCorinex CommunicationsEnergy AwareBitStewRainforest AutomationEmbedded AutomationTofino SecurityWhitenoise LabsREV

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ConclusionsBCIT’s Intelligent Microgrid Initiative is about:

Providing new and unique educational/training services for students, faculty and industry

Reducing the carbon footprint and energy costs of BCIT and other Microgrid campuses across Canada

Putting BCIT on the map as the leader in training & development of smart energy management systems

Helping utilities modernize their services & assetsMitigating critical infrastructure risks, security, reliability

and vulnerabilityProviding opportunities for local SMEs to showcase

solutionsCreating a ‘sandbox’ where new technologies and

solutions can be developed, tested and qualified17

Questions?Come see us – we love to demo!

Clay HoweyBCIT Group for Advanced Information

Technology (GAIT)clay_howey@bcit.cahttp://www.bcit.ca/microgrid

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