Nergica now has a unique microgrid co-simulation platform

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The Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles and Nergica, its college-based technology transfer center (CCTT), now have access to an OPAL-RT co-simulation (Hardware-in-the-Loop) platform that enables them to address research challenges related to the integration of renewable energy into microgrids. This unique design platform enables the development, in collaboration with various industrial and research partners, of innovative solutions in several areas, such as remote, real-time performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, and microgrid control.

One of the main advantages of this platform is the ability to develop and validate cutting-edge solutions on a low-power microgrid, which, among other things, helps reduce costs and risks during the development and validation phases of a microgrid. In particular, Nergica will be able to test the impact of renewable energy sources (solar PV, wind, tidal, etc.) on the reliability and resilience of microgrids and offer training related to the design, operation, and maintenance of microgrids.

This OPAL-RT platform, valued at $300,000 and funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) adds to Nergica’s research infrastructure. As a reminder, Nergica owns and operates a full-scale research site that includes, among other things, a 200-kW multi-source microgrid—comprising solar PV, wind, diesel, and storage technologies—installed under real-world conditions.