Regina College unveiled 1 microgrid lab of the province for blank power analysis
The University of Regina has opened doors in a new laboratory, aimed to produce and use energy in Suskechewan, helping to reopen it.
The first-type of facility in the province, microgrid living lab was launched as a hub for clean energy research, development and education at Suskechewan.
“About six percent of the electricity generated is lost in transmission. So in microgrids, we do not have so,” said Irfan Al-Nbagi, an associate professor in electronic system engineering and director of the lab.
The lab works with the main power grid. According to the university, it is capable of generating, storing and distributing its own electricity.
“Everything is located in an area: generation, storage and control, and load,” said al-Nbagi.
“So low power disintegration, less power burns in transmission. And it can be beneficial for places where you have difficulty in power supply and you can use it with the renewable generation in these places.”
The lab draws electricity from renewable sources including solar panels, wind and hydro power. It simulate how microgrids can perform in real -world conditions, with the university, with the hope of identifying more durable and flexible models to provide electricity to homes, businesses and remote communities in the province.
Al-Anbagi said. “Electricity supply at these places can be expensive and rigid and sometimes impossible.”
Multiple work
Al-Anbagi hopes that microgrid will play a major role in teaching, experimental setup and research.
“Currently I have two students, my colleague has two students. So in the future, we want to increase that number,” said Al-Anabgi.
He hopes that students will use Micogrid as a hand tool.
“Students appreciate this concept when they come and see it, when they see it in pictures, and they can also experiment some laboratory.”
Al-Nibagi has also reached small and medium-sized enterprises in the city which is interested in using the laboratory for their own development and testing.
“If an organization or company develops solar panels and they want to integrate power in the control system, monitor real-time, perform real-time connectivity, they welcome to use this system,” Al-Enbagi said.
The laboratory currently generates 10 kW solar energy, which is sufficient to provide electricity to a residential building or several houses. When energy is not being used for teaching or research, it is stored in “Islanded mode”, which means that it is kept separate from the university’s main power grid.
“We do not want to disrupt the university’s main power supply,” said Al-Enbagi.
“I think it is safe to disconnect microgrid from the supply of the main university to perform its own experiments.”
That energy is sometimes sent to the university system to help in power lights, air conditioning and other infrastructure.
Powering Suskeschewan
The greatest possibilities for LAB are not in its current use, but how it can shape the future of energy in Suskechewan according to Al-Nibagi.
He said the unique energy challenges of the province, from isolated northern communities to growing urban centers, make it a major test ground for microgrid solutions, he said.
“It’s not much power, but I think it adds,” said Al-Enbagi.
While microgrids are not completely new to Western Canada, this is the first of its kind in Suskechewan.
“Microgrid of Regina University is not just a laboratory. We use it in our research, in our teaching, and it is open to companies and other faculties at the university,” said Al-Enbagi.
