Campus microgrids: Opportunities and challenges

Adding renewable energy resources into the existing bulk generation power system can be accomplished through a smarter power grid when the integration includes complex, end-to-end control strategies and consumer participation. This author believes that integrating distributed energy resources (DER) will likely become the normal state, as siting transmission becomes more challenging. Microgrids will evolve from both utilities and consumers. They will produce DER, which will require addressing facets of both the electrical power system and the new smart grid control infrastructure. This paper presents the intersection of significant distribution renewable energy generation and independent control systems forming collaborating microgrids.