Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. announced the release of its new line of microgrid control system solutions. The microgrid control system builds on the proven design and capabilities of SEL’s POWERMAX® Power Management and Control System and makes use of SEL’s decades of experience in power system protection and control. 

At the heart of SEL’s solution is a powerful microgrid controller that is able to respond to external data, such as real-time pricing signals and fast-changing system dynamics. This capability enables the microgrid controller to optimize the system configuration based on the system user’s priorities and real-time data. Priorities can be assigned to various user-defined scenarios, like economic dispatch, carbon footprint minimization, renewable integration and system resiliency. The fast, deterministic controller can operate in as little as half a cycle, allowing it to reliably balance load with available generation.

“Microgrids have low inertia, which means they need relay-speed SEL microgrid controllers,” said Bob Morris, SEL vice president of national operations. “SEL microgrid solutions combine dependable computing and communications to provide high-performance microgrid control, including adaptive relaying, synchrophasors, and cybersecurity.”

SEL’s microgrid control system solutions use SEL’s robust layered cybersecurity hierarchy. This hardened security approach ensures that all data remains secure, allowing the system to operate continuously without threat of interruptions.

Each microgrid system is unique and depends on variables such as the type of distributed energy resources, system owner operation priorities, project drivers and utility interconnection requirements. The SEL microgrid controller is both flexible and customizable to ensure interoperability with all system components and drivers. SEL is also capable of providing front-end engineering and design for microgrid preproject planning purposes.