XENDEE Corp. and Idaho National Laboratory launched a Microgrid Fast Charging Station Designer and tested and validated it with two case studies for grid connected and islanded operation.
The project offers a design and validation framework for renewable energy-based microgrid configurations that deliver electric vehicle fast charging, energy security, and value-added grid services. Features are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Microgrid Program and were built on an existing XENDEE platform.
The designer uses software to create project simulations, financial optimizations, and operational dispatches that aim to maximize system efficiency and capture early returns on investment. The platform also maps cables, transformers, and distributed technology interactions to anticipate and mitigate problems during peak usage or adverse conditions.
The optimizations were tested by INL. During these tests, INL’s simulations — which were based on real-world data from the University of California San Diego campus — concluded that electrical results matched within 5% of the predicted values.
The platform also optimizes dispatch and generation at each time step of the day enabling the microgrid to take advantage of energy sales to a utility and best manage fleet charging under changing hourly conditions. The tool is intended to help operators build microgrid systems, both grid connected and islanded, and to operate them efficiently under supply and demand conditions for fast charging at scale.
