The microgrid market size is forecast to increase by USD 32.85 billion, Chart on Comparison by Application; Data Table on Comparison by Application; 6.3 Remote - Market size and forecast 2023-2028. Chart on Remote - Market size
The design and optimal sizing of a microgrid consist of determining the nominal capacity of generation systems, configuration, storage capacity, and the operational strategy to maximize reliability and minimize operational cost and pollutant emissions in the life cycle of the project, among other design objectives.
The formulation of microgrid sizing problem refers to development of an optimization problem that aims to optimally size a microgrid considering the load profile, available resources, budget, available space, as well as, the technical, economic, environmental, and reliability requirements.
Appropriate sizing of microgrid components, that is, number and size of PV modules, batteries, DGs and associated power electronic devices determines the efficient and economic design of the microgrid. There are numerous sizing approaches available in the literature, which are subjective to the requirements of the microgrid operator.
Numerous software platforms are used for microgrid sizing, among which HOMER and iHOGA are arguably the most commonly used ones . HOMER uses the meteorological data of the desired location to determine the microgrid size. It is capable of sizing an energy system comprising renewable energy, conventional sources, and storage systems.
Step 1. Load assessment: Load assessment is one of the key steps in microgrid sizing. Thorough analysis of the load demand of the microgrid is essential for optimal selection of the microgrid generation mix and storage capacities.
The selection of the most appropriate model depends not only on the accuracy of the solution but also on its computational cost. Depending on the design stage of the microgrid, e.g., sizing, energy management, or stability analyses; different models should be considered.
