ABB begins process to install microgrid at IIT Roorkee as part of smart campus development project

Elongating R&D collaboration with IIT Roorkee (IITR) through smart campus development project, technology leader ABB commenced the process to install a microgrid with battery energy storage at the institute at a ceremony on Friday. This came after an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed between ABB and IIT-R signed in July, 2018, wherein the creation of a Smart Grid Resource Center, joint R&D facilities and support for PhD students was outlined. According to a statement released by ABB, the smart campus development, in addition to the microgrid, would include technology solutions like smart metering, SCADA, ring main unit (RMUs) and a backbone of wireless broadband communication platform. 

The collaboration aims to create an operational smart grid network integrating all sources of energy including diesel generation and renewable energy, besides creating a research platform to meet the requirements of the evolving grid like bi-directional flow of electricity with localized generation and enhance environmental awareness to influence consumer behavior to maximize usage of clean energy.

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“This is yet another milestone and we are privileged to work with IIT Roorkee to set-up a microgrid in the oldest engineering college campus in the country. With green energy becoming the preferred choice, grid edge technologies such as microgrids are becoming a viable option to harness renewable power for smarter, inclusive and sustainable cities and also to provide access to reliable power in communities, campuses, or in remote or off grid areas,” said Pitamber Shivnani, President, Power Grids, ABB India. 

“This microgrid, along with the smart grid model, that will be set up on campus, will demonstrate the future of power,” he added.

Professor Ajit Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee said that sustainability through adoption of new technologies has been at the core of all developmental activities at IIT Roorkee. "We believe this collaboration with ABB using the IIT Roorkee campus as the hub for R&D on futuristic technologies for smarter, sustainable cities will create many milestones,” he said, while adding, "The microgrid is one such important element and the smart electricity distribution network and management system that we are undertaking will enable us to create a 100 percent green campus and achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions in the long run."

Notably, IIT Roorkee has done pioneering work in recent years to build an eco-friendly campus using renewable sources. The goal is to become a self-sustaining and zero emission green campus.

The microgrid will also serve as one of the pilot projects for Government of India’s Smart Cities Mission. The project cost is being partially funded by ABB India under its CSR initiatives.

The ABB further stated that the advanced energy metering solutions will be used for energy accounting, billing and collection process. The metering solution will measure energy supplied by grid and diesel generators in separate registers to apply differential tariff, which will sensitize the campus residents/user community about the cost impact due to diesel consumption. 
 
IIT Roorkee currently has solar PV systems installed at 27 locations across the campus amounting to 1.8 MW of solar generation. When the 11 kV ABB AbilityTM PowerStore microgrid is commissioned in 2020, ABB’s advanced microgrid technology will enable the institute to increase the use of renewable energy, identify potential of demand side control, and integrate other power sources. 

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The ABB AbilityTM Microgrid, SCADA, and smart metering will enable complete remote monitoring and maintenance, as well as visualization of overall energy requirements of the campus, it added.