MiRIS project: CMI’s micro-grid showcase
(Room Arena 1)
20 Jun 18
2:00 PM
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3:30 PM
Tracks:
Arena 1: Energy storage: A New Paradigm
A transition to a greener energy system is warranted in order to meet the objectives of limiting carbon emissions and ensuring sustainable development of mankind. Exponential growth of renewable energy sources, most of which are by nature intermittent, uncertain and distributed, is witnessed since a few years. Energy storage is recognized as an essential complement to the renewable energy sources so as to provide end-users with reliable, dispatchable and secured electric power. In this context, CMI Energy aims at becoming a key player in the field of energy storage. To this end, CMI Energy develops a micro-grid at its Headquarters in Seraing, Belgium. The project has been nicknamed MiRIS (Micro-Réseau Intelligent de Seraing – Smart Micro Grid in Seraing). MiRIS pursues at least three goals: first, be the first reference for CMI Energy in its new activity of integrator of energy storage solutions/micro-grids; second, serve as a learning platform for CMI staff and third, be a showcase for customers. The main components of MiRIS are a PV array of about 1.75 MWp, installed on the rooftops of selected CMI’s workshops; a hybrid storage system made of a lithium-ion battery of 500 kVA/500 kWh, a Vanadium redox flow battery of 500 kW/1700 kWh and a Zinc-Iron hybrid flow battery of 400 kW/1320 kWh. This hardware will be controlled by a smart energy management system whose purpose will be to minimize the electric bill of CMI’s facilities as well as provide ancillary services to the electric grid. In fact, MiRIS will be connected to the local distribution grid. At a later stage, a diesel genset will be rented in order to test fully off-grid operation of the micro-grid. The paper will review in more details the design of the micro-grid and of the service it will provide to CMI’s facilities and to the local grid. It will also describe both types of redox flow batteries, a storage solution particularly well suited to long-duration applications.