Smart Green Power Node Prototype Build (GR-13-05)

Smart Green Power Node Prototype Build (GR-13-05)
Principal Investigators: Dr. Alan Mantooth, Dr. Roger Dougal

A “Green Power Node” is a communicative power electronic system that manages the flow of power between (mostly DC) on-site power resources such as generation, storage, and loads, while it also provides a bidirectional interface to a 240 V single-phase residential grid connection that supports smart grid management. Example power sources that may connect to the system include photovoltaic cells or fuel cells. Example storage systems include batteries, either stationary or in a vehicle. Example loads include variable-speed drives in heat pumps, electric vehicles, kitchen appliances and consumer electronics. In the first phase of the project, GRAPES researchers worked to provide a general-purpose node to integrate DC and AC power and load resources in residential power systems and to provide standardized grid-side connection, with the objective of making the system dispatchable from the grid side and uninterruptable on the customer side. Universal and bidirectional power ports on the DC side connect to a variety of power resources. Network data interface for local and grid-area data access is included in the system. In the current phase of the project, researchers are constructing a 2-kW field-testable prototype of the Smart Green Power Node.