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Smart Energy Monitoring in a Campus Microgrid
Published on 29 July 2020
Italy
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
In Europe, the building sector is the largest energy consumer, representing 40% of the total energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions. Many of the Campus buildings have been built before the energy standards, therefore, have no energy saving criteria. Over 70% of energy savings could be achieved once implemented innovative strategies for the real-time measurement of energy demand.
The good practice wants to develop a monitoring platform by exploiting the functionality offered by several subsystems (measurements transformers, optical fiber) already installed in the campus microgrid. The potential expressed is notable, as the platform is based on open source real-time operating systems, while the communication protocols are flexible, open and ready for future developments.
The measurement system operates by sampling the electrical measurements directly on the power transformers. The real-time system is constituted by a standard processor and a Linux RTAI operative system for managing the Input/Output boards by high-level protocols on Modbus and IEC 61850.
Although at present time the system is only adopted for monitoring activity, in the future also the control will be made available.
Any public administration responsible for the energy management of multiple buildings can benefit from the installation of the proposed system (e.g. campuses, municipalities and hospitals). While the stakeholders can be energy agencies, energy suppliers, and industrial technology suppliers.
The good practice wants to develop a monitoring platform by exploiting the functionality offered by several subsystems (measurements transformers, optical fiber) already installed in the campus microgrid. The potential expressed is notable, as the platform is based on open source real-time operating systems, while the communication protocols are flexible, open and ready for future developments.
The measurement system operates by sampling the electrical measurements directly on the power transformers. The real-time system is constituted by a standard processor and a Linux RTAI operative system for managing the Input/Output boards by high-level protocols on Modbus and IEC 61850.
Although at present time the system is only adopted for monitoring activity, in the future also the control will be made available.
Any public administration responsible for the energy management of multiple buildings can benefit from the installation of the proposed system (e.g. campuses, municipalities and hospitals). While the stakeholders can be energy agencies, energy suppliers, and industrial technology suppliers.
Resources needed
To give an extimation, it is proper to subidivide the total cost for a TRL 8 application on 12 monitored electrical substations. In this case, 90 k€ is the equipment cost while the staff cost is near 90 k€ for two years. At this sum (180 k€), other 90 k€ are to be added for getting the final TRL 9.
Evidence of success
The system is currently being implemented in the University of Trieste Campus, and it will be part of the testbed for energy management. Evidence of its success will be available in the continuation of project lifetime (near future).
Potential for learning or transfer
This practice is aimed at improving the energy efficiency of University Campus buildings in symbiosis with regional territory. Such a final target is obtained by leveraging the development of energy saving innovative solutions, the use of renewable energy, the smart energy generation while maintaining the distribution systems in existing buildings.
In other words, the goal is to provide a new energy management and control system implementing the IoT paradigm on buildings and energy infrastructure.
In other words, the goal is to provide a new energy management and control system implementing the IoT paradigm on buildings and energy infrastructure.
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
other
Italy
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Contact
Assistant Professor