RLC Engineering was contracted by a large New England Utility to evaluate microgrid application for a variety of locations. Sites included the utility’s work centers and nearby community facilities intended for integration within the associated microgrid location. The project’s scope involved the evaluation of each site, considering factors such as operational voltage, available rooftop space, land availability, and the feasibility of implementing parking canopy systems. RLC obtained essential load information to verify that the proposed generating system could support the anticipated load. Based on this information, RLC developed a preliminary design for sizing solar and battery storage systems, which resulted in the creation of one-line diagrams and conceptual site plans. The process of determining how to manage and control the microgrid required RLC to develop a sequence of operations. The sequence of operations defines the order in which controls are manipulated to determine where relaying is needed and the associated relay settings.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

• Evaluation of sites based on operating voltage, available rooftop, land, and parking canopy system suitability.
• Structural evaluations of facilities for potential rooftop solar installations
• Validated the generating system’s capacity to support the expected load.
• Conceptualize and design the sizing of solar and battery storage systems, generating one-line diagrams.
• Determination of relaying location and relay setpoints.
• Final documentation for submission to the client’s public utility commissions.