RII Track-4: NSF: Advancing Resilient Microgrid Configurations Targeted to Rural and Island Communities

离网远程电力系统，也被称为微电网，为阿拉斯加农村地区提供电力。阿拉斯加州被称为美国的微电网前沿，拥有200多个偏远的村庄，分布在能源资源丰富的大片地区。偏远的阿拉斯加社区经常受到极端气候的影响，需要在如何生产和使用能源方面具有灵活性。因此，微电网需要具有灵活性和适应性，以便能够动态响应变化。该项目将通过(1)实现极端条件下微电网运行和控制的现实模型，以及(2)使微电网架构能够适应系统运行条件的频繁变化，提供一个推进知识的机会。在农村和岛屿社区，电力对他们的健康和福祉至关重要，而且容易因野火和风暴等自然灾害而停电，因此能源基础设施的微小改善可节省大量资金并增加社会福利。通过该项目，阿拉斯加大学（UAA）在微电网运营和控制方面的机构能力将得到加强，将为代表性不足的美国印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民（AI/AN）学生创造机会，并将为阿拉斯加的电力行业劳动力提供研究和培训机会。这项NSF EPSCoR研究基础设施改善轨道4 EPSCoR研究研究员（RII Track-4）项目为阿拉斯加安克雷奇大学（UAA）的一名助理教授和一名研究生提供奖学金。NSF EPSCoR RII Track 4项目的主要目标是推进微电网的模块化、移动性和可重构性特征，评估其对阿拉斯加农村能源景观的适用性，并制定策略，提高微电网在北极等恶劣气候下运行的可靠性和灵活性。该项目将为UAA的Heidari Kapourchali博士提供一个机会，将先进的硬件在环（HIL）技术整合到他与阿拉斯加微电网运行和控制相关的研究工作中。该奖学金将通过2023年和2024年对弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学（弗吉尼亚理工大学）的弹性可再生能源电网适应实验室（REGAL）的两次合作访问来完成，在那里，Heidari Kapourchali博士将获得微电网试验台的访问权限，将接触主要和次要控制器模型和必要的硬件，以执行动手控制器硬件在环（C-HIL）实验。并将获得有关微电网运行快速响应控制的知识。设想中的合作活动将消除在北极部署灵活和弹性微电网的重大障碍，从而为阿拉斯加社区创造潜力，以最低成本增加对可再生能源的依赖。该项目将通过获得新的分析和建模技能来扩展UAA的研究基础设施，并将通过为UAA的hil集成电力电子课程提供实践实验室经验和内容，推动农村和岛屿社区灵活和自适应微电网的界限。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Off-grid remote power systems, also known as microgrids, provide electricity to rural Alaskans. Known as the microgrid frontier of the United States, Alaska has over 200 remote-powered isolated villages spread across large areas with diverse energy resources. Remote Alaskan communities are frequently subject to extreme climate stress and require flexibility in how they generate and use energy. As a result, microgrids need to be flexible and adaptable so they can dynamically respond to changes. This project will provide an opportunity to advance knowledge by (1) implementing realistic models of microgrid operation and control under extreme conditions, and (2) enabling microgrid architectures that can adapt to frequent changes in system operating conditions. A small improvement in energy infrastructure could result in substantial financial savings and increase social welfare in rural and island communities, where electricity is vital to their health and well-being and susceptibility to power outages due to natural disasters like wildfires and storms persists. Through this project, University of Alaska’s (UAA's) institutional capacity for microgrid operation and control will be enhanced, opportunities for underrepresented and American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students will be created, and research and training opportunities will be provided to the electric industry workforce in Alaska.This NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-4 EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4) project provides a fellowship to an Assistant professor and training for a graduate student at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). The primary goal of this NSF EPSCoR RII Track 4 project is to advance microgrid modularity, mobility, and reconfigurability features, evaluate their applicability to the rural Alaska’s energy landscape, as well as develop strategies to improve the reliability and flexibility of microgrids operating in harsh climates like the Arctic. The project will provide Dr. Heidari Kapourchali at UAA with an opportunity to incorporate advanced Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) techniques into his research efforts related to microgrid operation and control in Alaska. This fellowship will be accomplished through two collaborative visits in 2023 and 2024 to the Resilient Renewable Energy Grid Adaptation Laboratory (REGAL), at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), where Dr. Heidari Kapourchali will be provided access to microgrid testbeds, will be exposed to primary and secondary controller models and necessary hardware to perform hands-on Controller-Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL) experiments, and will gain knowledge on fast-response controls in microgrid operations. The envisioned fellowship activities will remove significant obstacles in the path of deploying flexible and resilient microgrids in the Arctic, thereby creating the potential for Alaska communities to increase their reliance on renewable energy resources at minimum costs. The project will expand UAA's research infrastructure by acquiring new analytical and modeling skills and will push the boundaries of flexible and adaptive microgrids in rural and island communities by providing hands-on laboratory experience and content for a HIL-integrated Power Electronics course at UAA.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.