Advanced Microgrid: Containerized Development Platform

João Marcus S. Callegari; Danilo Iglesias Brandao; Luís Guilherme Monteiro Oliveira; Sidelmo Magalhães Silva; Braz J. Cardoso Filho

doi:10.18618/REP.e202502

Authors

João Marcus S. Callegari Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6264-351X
Danilo Iglesias Brandao Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5878-1167
Luís Guilherme Monteiro Oliveira Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2921-5323
Sidelmo Magalhães Silva Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7491-832X
Braz J. Cardoso Filho Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3470-4570

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18618/REP.e202502

Keywords:

Advanced microgrid, container, distributed energy resource, flexible control

Abstract

This paper presents a containerized development platform suitable for developing and validating advanced microgrids (MGs). Through a collaborative effort involving the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) within the technical-scientific research project titled Minirrede Oasis-UFMG and the State and Federal government, the Tesla containerized MG emerges as a physical simulation tool on advanced MG projects in both islanded and grid-connected operating modes. Installed at the Tesla Laboratory located in the UFMG School of Engineering, Brazil, Tesla MG is composed of (i) eleven distributed energy resources (DERs), which supply around 33 kW; (ii) one single-phase gas-driven synchronous generator (SG), with a power rating of 11 kW; (iii) one 7.5 kW three-phase diesel-driven SG; and (iv) 30 kVA 4-quadrant programmable AC load and source. All these devices are commercially available off-the-shelf equipment. Photovoltaic modules and different battery technologies are installed outside and inside the container, respectively, with cabling extending to the container to connect these components to the inverters. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platforms for real-time simulations (i.e., Opal RT OP5700 and Typhoon HILs 402 and 604) are also available to support MG research. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the capabilities of the Tesla MG, specifically focusing on inverter features, power dispatchability in grid-connected mode, and proper operation in islanded mode.

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Author Biographies

João Marcus S. Callegari, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

received the doctoral degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2024. His current research and technical interests include the design and control of grid-connected multifunctional inverters, the reliability of power electronics-based systems, and AC microgrids. Mr. Callegari was the recipient of the President Bernardes Silver Medal in 2019 and the IEEE IAS CMD Student Thesis Contest 2022 (Non-PhD Category).

Danilo Iglesias Brandao, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

received the doctoral degree in electrical engineering from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil, in 2015. He was visiting positions at Colorado School of Mines (2009 and 2013), Università degli Studi di Padova (2014) and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2018 and 2020). He is currently an assistant professor at Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil. His main research interests are control of grid-tied converters and microgrids. He is a member of SOBRAEP.

Luís Guilherme Monteiro Oliveira, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais

received the degree in Control and Automation Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais - PUC Minas (2002), a Master's degree in Energy, specializing in Photovoltaic Systems, from the University of São Paulo - USP (2005) and a PhD in Electrical Engineering, specializing in Photovoltaic Systems, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG (2016). From 2003 to 2005, he worked as a researcher at the Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory (LSF) of the Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE/USP). He also held research positions at the Brazilian Center for the Development of Solar Thermal Energy (GREEN Solar) from March 1998 to December 2002 and from February 2005 to October 2009, as well as at the Solar Materials Laboratory of the Minas Gerais Technological Center Foundation (CETEC) from March to December 2011. Currently, he is Adjunct Professor IV at the Polytechnic Institute (IPUC) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC Minas) and Professor of the Postgraduate Course (Lato-Sensu) in "Renewable Energy Sources: Generation, Operation and Integration", subject Photovoltaic Systems, and Postdoctoral Resident of the Postgraduate Program in Electrical Engineering (PPGEE) of the UFMG. At this same institution, he also works as a Researcher at the Tesla Laboratory (Power Engineering) and the Energy Conversion and Control Laboratory (LCCE) of the Department of Electrical Engineering of the School of Engineering at UFMG. His expertise lies in the field of Energy, with a focus on Renewable Energy. His main research interests include Photovoltaic Solar Energy (isolated systems, grid-connected systems, distributed generation, and large-scale plants) and Solar Thermal Energy (solar radiation and flat solar collectors).

Sidelmo Magalhães Silva, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

graduated in Electrical Engineering (with a gold medal for the highest GPA), in 1997, and received the Master's and Doctoral degrees from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, in 1997, 1999, and 2003, respectively, both in Electrical Engineering. From October 2001 to August 2002, he was in the Development Department of ABB Switzerland, Turgi, as a System and Controls Engineer. From August 2017 to July 2018, Prof. Sidelmo was a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, where he worked with microgrids. Sidelmo M. Silva is a Full Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. His research interests include power quality, applications of power electronics in electric power systems, microgrids, and renewable

Braz J. Cardoso Filho, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA, in 1998. Since 1989, he has been a Faculty Member with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where he is currently a Full Professor, and the Founder and the Head of the TESLA Power Engineering Laboratory. He has authored/co-authored more than 300 technical papers on the topics of power electronics and electrical drives and holds 15 patents and patent applications. His research interests include utility applications of power electronics, renewable energy sources, semiconductor power devices, electrical machines and drives, and vehicle electrification.

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