System specification for a DC community microgrid and living laboratory embedded in an urban environment

A community DC microgrid is proposed that is embedded within an urban neighborhood in an underserved community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This community microgrid will be a proving ground for residential DC power distribution and sharing of renewable energy resources between homes. The system will be built into existing homes that have been vacated as a result of a long period of economic recession in the area in such a way that homes can be occupied while their energy usage is being monitored and managed with in a non-invasive way. Renovated homes will either operate off of the 380Vdc or from the utility. The detached home garage for each home will be equipped with solar PV and battery energy storage with a lead home acting as substation that connects the microgrid into the larger utility through a 240Vac gateway connection. The homes will also be outfitted with readily available DC appliances so that a large portion of the home load can be directly fed from DC. In this environment living laboratories will be created that will enable participation of community members and students from a local STEM high school to become stakeholders in the operation of the community microgrid. The community microgrid will also demonstrate safe power distribution between homes using both wide band gap solid state circuit breakers. This aspect of the community microgrid will be a developmental environment for a protective system design that undergirds the entire system.