Bismarck State College National Energy Center of Excellence recently finished a four-year project to demonstrate smart grid technology. The smart grid combines different sources of power generation, storage, and automation in order to provide the most reliable and efficient source of energy to the consumer.
Through the smart grid project, faculty and staff built a lab for students and industry to see how technologies like solar power, wind power, micro-grids and more operate in a smart grid.
"This online lab is the first of its kind to demonstrate new technologies to industry partners and students that they otherwise wouldn't have access to," says Kari Knudson, Vice President of the National Energy Center of Excellence. "The smart grid project is an excellent example of innovation and collaboration to leverage technology for the benefit of students and others."
The $800,000 Department of Energy (DOE) grant incorporates several buildings on the BSC campus and monitors more than 800 points of energy use and generation. Those data points are used to show the energy usage and generation of the lab systems on campus. The lab is accessed online and provides real time and historical data for all lab sources for students, industry and the general public to view at any time.
Through the web-based lab, BSC energy students will explore smart grid technology and control concepts. Faculty members will be able to incorporate the lab into existing coursework.
"We are proud to be able to provide students and stakeholders with access to cutting-edge smart grid technology," says system designer Zachery Allen. "We're excited to see how the lab is utilized as smart grid technology evolves and changes in the future."
The public can view the lab online at bscnecelabs.net/gridlab. The project was funded by DOE ARRA Smart Grid Grant DE-OE0000459. For more information contact Retha Mattern at 701-224-2445 or retha.mattern@bismarckstate.edu.
Through the smart grid project, faculty and staff built a lab for students and industry to see how technologies like solar power, wind power, micro-grids and more operate in a smart grid.
"This online lab is the first of its kind to demonstrate new technologies to industry partners and students that they otherwise wouldn't have access to," says Kari Knudson, Vice President of the National Energy Center of Excellence. "The smart grid project is an excellent example of innovation and collaboration to leverage technology for the benefit of students and others."
The $800,000 Department of Energy (DOE) grant incorporates several buildings on the BSC campus and monitors more than 800 points of energy use and generation. Those data points are used to show the energy usage and generation of the lab systems on campus. The lab is accessed online and provides real time and historical data for all lab sources for students, industry and the general public to view at any time.
Through the web-based lab, BSC energy students will explore smart grid technology and control concepts. Faculty members will be able to incorporate the lab into existing coursework.
"We are proud to be able to provide students and stakeholders with access to cutting-edge smart grid technology," says system designer Zachery Allen. "We're excited to see how the lab is utilized as smart grid technology evolves and changes in the future."
The public can view the lab online at bscnecelabs.net/gridlab. The project was funded by DOE ARRA Smart Grid Grant DE-OE0000459. For more information contact Retha Mattern at 701-224-2445 or retha.mattern@bismarckstate.edu.