TimberRock Case Study (3-15-14) copy.pages

!

Case Study !!Solar Microgrid Integrates Solar PV, Energy

Storage, Smart Grid Functionality and Advanced Vehicle-to-Grid Capabilities

!!!

!!!!

Project awarded Maryland Energy Administration’s prestigious Game Changer

award!! !!!!

WWW.TIMBERROCKES.COM4539 METROPOLITAN CT.!

FREDERICK, MD 21704TIMBERROCK CASE STUDY

http://www.timberrockes.com

!!Overview! 3!

OnStar Integration! 4!

Project Elements! 5!

Performance! 5!

System Pictures! 6!

System Schematic! 7!

Web Based Dashboard! 8!



!

Overview!General Motors, OnStar and TimberRock Energy Solutions have collaborated to deploy an

advanced, solar microgrid at GM’s E-Motor Plant in White Marsh, Maryland. The objective of the

project was to quantify how a microgrid comprised of distributed energy resources (DERs) that

include solar PV, EV charging infrastructure, stationary li-ion energy storage and a fleet of Chevy

Volts could deliver an economic “benefit stack” sufficient to enable scalable, microgrid business

models.

!The project tightly integrates the performance of the various DERs within the microgrid via

TimberRock’s Distributed Energy Resources Management System (DERMS) called De-MAP. De-

MAP serves as the integration platform for both the DERs and external market management

systems. The DERs are aggregated and managed as a single block of capacity allowing them to

“straddle the meter” and be dispatched to deliver value to both the host site – delivering cost-

effective energy and reducing demand charges – and the grid by providing services like frequency

regulation.

!The project represents the first commercial deployment of OnStar’s Smart Grid solutions which

allows EVs to be integrated with a microgrid and directly managed as grid-interactive resources.

PJM, the grid operator, was heavily involved with the project since its inception and the Maryland

Energy Administration has awarded the project their prestigious Game Changer award.



OnStar Integration !OnStar’s ubiquitous network and vehicle connectivity was leveraged to provide advanced vehicle-

to-grid integration with the solar-based microgrid. Whether physically on site or not, the EVs’ load

can be reduced in

response to a demand

response request or

pricing signal. Most

uniquely, the charging of

the Volt can be

modulated across its

charging range in direct

response to a frequency

regulation signal. In

aggregate, this allows the

fleet to support grid

balancing – tapping into

the revenue stream it

provides - while never

discharging energy from the

vehicle to the grid.



Infographic depicting the Microgrid currently deployed at GM’s E-Motor Plant- OnStar and TimberRock connect to manage GM’s solar PV and

energy storage as well as a fleet of Chevy Volts.

“GM is positioning EVs as a means of helping balance grid capacity… GM’s partner for pulling this off is TimberRock” - Forbes Oct ‘13

Project Elements !• 600kW of combined solar PV (roof-mount and islanding-capable canopy mount)

• Sub-set of the solar PV integrated with multiple advanced bi-directional inverters with microgrid

(islanding) capability

• Custom parking lot canopy with integrated energy storage and inverter cabinets

• Transactive Energy Router - Embedded control hardware, telecommunications and software

required for optimization, aggregation, and dispatch

• DERMS provided by cloud-based De-MAP

• Stationary li-ion storage with integrated thermal management

• EV charging stations providing free charging for employees, guests and suppliers

!

Performance !• Generation of renewable electricity for EV charging and use by the E-Motor plant

• Solar firming & peak shifting

• Demand charge reduction

• Frequency regulation via stationary and mobile distributed energy resources

• Spinning reserve

• Dynamic load shedding during periods of high grid congestion as signaled by real-time LMP

data

• EV fleet management



System Pictures

!



Solar PV charges the stationary batteries, plugged in EVs and back-feeds the E-Motor Plant

Li-ion energy storage

Bi-directional inverters full integrated into structural columns of solar PV canopy

System Schematic



Six EV chargers provide power to a fleet of Chevy Volts. De-MAP software communicates directly with the EV via OnStar, eliminating the need for intelligent and costly plugs/chargers

Roof Mount Solar

Sustainable Microgrid

E-Motor Plant

Energy & Capacity Payments

Long-Term Energy Supply Agreement

Distributed Energy Management & Aggregation Platform (De-MAP)

Islanding-CapableSolar PV

Li-ion Storage

Distribution Utility

6-Vehicle EV Fleet Charging Infrastructure

UtilityMeter

Customer Meter

Electricity

Solar Microgrid

Renewables - Storage - Smart Grid - Vehicle-to-Grid

Utility Support

- Load Shedding- Congestion Relief

Local Optimization

Local generation and/or pass through; utility used

to balance

Ancillary Services

- Frequency Regulation-Spinning Reserve

Ancillary Services Revenues

www.TimberRockES.com Jan 12th, 2012GM White Marsh II

design review

5

Charging Modulated To Support Grid Balancing

Microgrid

Transactive Energy Router

Web Based Dashboard

!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For more information, contact:!!Contact: [email protected]



Screen capture of De-MAP EV fleet management application

Screen capture of De-MAP web-based system dashboard. Shows complex data and energy flows that allow Transactive Energy

Documents

TimberRock Case Study (3-15-14) copy.pages