Performance assessment tool for remote electrical microgrids (PATREM)

Remote communities mainly rely on diesel for electricity generation. Costs of electricity generation could reach up to 10 times compared to the main electric grid because of the cost of fuel transportation and delivery. With the revolution of smart grid technology, it is possible to quantify the full potential of integrating renewables and smart grid applications to bring real cost savings to these communities. This paper presents details for the Microsoft Excel-based, optimal performance assessment tool for remote grids that has been developed by CanmetENERGY to assess the performance of the electricity grid for remote microgrids and provide a guide for remote microgrid planning.