Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor Selected to Manage Distributed Energy Resources for Ameren Microgrid
ANDOVER, Mass., Aug. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, today announced Ameren Corporation's newly completed utility-scale microgrid in Champaign, Illinois, is using EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor software to manage its integration of distributed energy resources (DER), including a mix of solar, wind, natural gas generation and battery storage.
Decentralization, decarbonization and digitization have changed the dynamics of energy generation for the grid and spurred growth in DER use. In this new energy landscape, it is increasingly complex to manage the rapidly expanding use of DER.
"By deploying EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor as part of its microgrid, Ameren's facility is building a smarter, cleaner energy infrastructure and maximizing the use of its distributed resources," said Phillip Barton, Director of Schneider Electric's Microgrid Competency Center. "The Software-as-a-Service platform provides them with an innovative and easy-to-use tool to better manage the production and consumption of its renewable energy and control energy spend with advanced predictive and learning algorithms."
EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor, a cloud-based, demand-side energy management software platform, simplifies the integration of DER and allows facility managers and microgrid operators to collect, forecast and automatically optimize the operation of DER using predictive algorithms. As part of Ameren's microgrid, it optimizes all of its DER, while offering tariff management, demand response requests, peak shaving, CO2 tracking and storm hardening services. The innovative platform enhances performance, optimizes energy usage and supports energy security, providing critical power to Ameren's network of users.
EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor includes onsite hardware for secure cyber communication and algorithms for up to two days of DER optimization with offline capabilities. The platform communicates with multiple energy management solutions via an interactive web interface to provide a comprehensive view of the entire facility's energy profile. It can incorporate real-time data from sources such as PV solar, building load, EV charging, battery storage, cogeneration and backup natural gas generation to autonomously optimize energy usage across all DER with an intuitive and easy-to-use use interface.
Located at its Technology Applications Center, the Ameren microgrid is one of the only utility-scale microgrids in the U.S. capable of serving live customer loads on a utility distribution feeder. It operates at utility-scale voltages, between 4-kilovolts and 34.5-kilovolts, with multiple levels of control. Additionally, it is the only known microgrid in the nation capable of seamlessly transitioning the power source for an entire distribution circuit from exclusively distributed generation sources to the traditional power grid.
"By integrating microgrids into our system, we're taking a critical step in providing a cleaner and more resilient grid for our customers," said Ron Pate, Senior Vice President, Ameren Illinois. "Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor gives us a next-generation solution that will meet our needs today and enable us to scale our microgrid to provide new services and incorporate new resources for our customers in the future. Working with innovative providers like Schneider Electric gives us a foundation to achieve our vision of developing a smarter energy infrastructure."
EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor is also deployed across various utility, industrial, commercial, government and university campuses worldwide. For more information about Schneider Electric's advanced microgrid solutions, please visit www.schneider-electric.us/microgrid.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of $26 billion US dollars (25 billion euros) in FY2016, our 144,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.
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SOURCE Schneider Electric
