DKASC, Alice Springs

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DKP Microgrid / BESS

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Desert Knowledge Precinct Microgrid

Grid
DKP Microgrid
 
 

LOAD Desert Knowledge
Precinct (DKP)

source 241
 
 
source 241

GRID Alice Springs Network

 
 
 
source 239

BESS Battery Energy Storage System

 
 

SOLAR Desert Knowledge Australia
Solar Centre (DKASC)

source 241
 
 

Current Data

source 242

Grid

  • kW = xx
  • kVar = xx
  • kVA = xx
source 241

Solar

  • kW = XX
  • kVar = xx
  • kVA = XX
source 239

BESS

  • kW = XX
  • kVar = xx
  • kVA = XX
  • SOC% = XX%
source 240

Load

  • kW = -XX
  • kVar = xx
  • kVA = XX

Power (kW)

BESS SOC (%)

Filter Data

 

Weather Data

GHI w/m2

Weather Filter Data

Project Background

Alice Springs Future Grid was a whole-of-systems project that considered how Alice Springs could transition to 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030. The consortium-led project included a number of sub-projects that completed a series of trials and investigations, including the creation of a commercial microgrid at the Desert Knowledge Precinct (DKP).

At the inception of the DKP Microgrid project there was no islandable PV & BESS based microgrid of any significant scale connected to a regulated network in the Northern Territory (NT).

The purpose of the project was twofold, to design, procure, deploy and integrate a commercial microgrid on to the Alice Springs electricity network, and to do so by using the existing regulatory frameworks and connections process to demonstrate through this real-world process the potential benefits, constraints and barriers to microgrid deployment in the NT and beyond.

LOAD

The electrical demand for the precinct is largely driven by commercial activity and averages ~120kW. Demand can peak as high as 300kW during weekdays in the hot summer months and fall well below 50 kW in the nighttime and on weekends when site activity is limited.

GRID

The DKP has its own independent 22kV distribution network with a single medium voltage connection to the larger Alice Springs network. The DKP network includes 5 kiosk type 22kV/400V substations (300 – 500kVA each).

SOLAR

All solar generation on to the DKP microgrid is from the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre (DKASC) facility that has a range of different PV technologies and nominal capacity in excess of 250kWDC.

BESS

The battery energy storage system (BESS) is 300kW/358kWh BESS is connected to the low voltage (LV) side of one of the ring main substations. The BESS has the capability to operate fully grid connected (in either grid forming droop or grid following modes) or to go fully standalone (in Isochronous mode) and support the DKP microgrid independent of the grid.The BESS also provides dynamic power factor correction for the DKP site.