Clean and efficient energy systems

Research and education concerning the renewable energy production, storage and distributed energy resources integration to the electrical grid requires power sources and loads as well as accurate instrumentation:

· Bi-directional DC power sources 0 .. 180A and 0 .. 1500 Vdc
· Univeral electronic loads up to 3.8 kW
· 50 kVA to 100 kVA grid simulator in under procurement
· Multi-phases precision Power Analyser
· 4-Channel Digital oscilloscopes, current and voltage probes
· Data-loggers
· Digsilent Power Factory (Load Flow Simulations on electrical grids)
· Plexim PLECS : simulation Software for Power Electronics

The Distributed Energy System laboratory hosts demonstration and research platforms of energy systems including production, storage and control at the scale of buildings or of LV distribution grid. Activities at DESLab focus on distributed energy resources integration into smart grids or microgrids and on an optimal and efficient use of renewable energy.

The Home Energy benchmark hosts two different energy distribution systems connected together with home appliances, renewable energy production and storage at the scale of a small residential building. One system relies on LVAC common distribution bus, the other on LVDC. Both systems can work in connection to the public distribution grid or OFF-Grid. The measuring and control unit allows to run scenarios, with measurement of full charging cycles efficiency for instance. The DESLab platform was built and is controlled with components available from the market. The Home Energy benchmark is mostly used for education and demonstration purposes.

The SeBNet platform emulates a fast charging hub for electrical vehicles, including Renewable Energy production and local storage. The common distribution system is based on a 750 VDC bus constituting of a LVDC microgrid. The SeBNet platform is built with components available from the market for a total power of 6kW (Down scale 1:100). The Energy Management Systems of the hub is run by an advanced Programmable Logic Controller (Wago PFC 200). The modular concept of the hub emulator allows future integration of further energy conversion and control equipment.

A Power HIL Benchmark is under construction. The design of the future HIL platform focusses on converter testing in the applications of Renewable Energy integration into the grid, microgrids and energy storage. The first element of the HIL Benchmark is the Fast Converter Prototyping system from IMPERIX, including a flexible programable controller ‘Boombox’ and ready-made converters legs interfaced with fiberoptics.