The Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles and Nergica, its college centre for technology transfer (CCTT), now have access to a hardware-in-the-loop co-simulation platform from OPAL-RT Technologies, which will facilitate research work on issues related to the integration of renewables in microgrids. This uniquely-designed platform will help develop, together with various industrial and research partners, innovative solutions for a number of aspects of microgrids such as remote and real-time performance monitoring, predictive maintenance and control.
One of the main advantages that this platform offers is the possibility to develop and validate avant-garde solutions on a small microgrid, which notably allows for cost reductions and mitigated risks during the development and validation phases of a microgrid. Nergica will notably be able to test the impact of renewable energy sources (solar PV, wind, hydrokinetic, etc.) on microgrid reliability and resilience and offer training programs related to the design, operation, and maintenance of such systems.
Funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), this $300,000 OPAL-RT platform is a key addition to Nergica’s research infrastructures. It is reminded that Nergica owns and operates a full-scale research site that notably comprises a 200 kW multi-source microgrid with solar PV / wind / diesel / energy storage technologies installed in real-world conditions.
