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Case Study
12 Jul 2023
5 min read
ComAp, together with our partners So Drama Entertainment and a local partner Gennal, designed and installed a 100% renewable microgrid on the outskirts of Singapore. Initially, it was built as a 1500-bed quarantine facility to help combat the spread of COVID-19. In the meantime, when the pandemic went under control, it evolved into a vaccination center and a microgrid test center with an EV charging infrastructure upgrade, also relying on ComAp controls.
Due to the Singapore government's ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, they decided to have this site powered by a 100% renewable microgrid when the grid connection fails. The microgrid comprises solar panels and BESS that not only feeds the entire site but also sells the excess power back into the grid.
The system operates as a set of nanogrids (smaller microgrids) that together form a complex-wide microgrid. When a mains failure occurs, the nanogrids operate in islanded mode, providing power to their own parts of the complex, using their own BESS. When the mains connection is re-established each nanogrid will perform their own reverse synchronisation procedure independently back to the grid, to provide a seamless transition, without any power disruption.
When microgrid mode is enabled, the ComAp system takes over the master role and manages the entire site ensuring that all the loads are kept powered without any interruption. ComAp's system always prioritises the use of the PV and uses any excess to charge the BESS. If more power is generated than the BESS needs, it is then exported to the grid.
To control the entire site, ComAp installed the InteliSys NTC Hybrid controller. The controller was actually able to also control other test facilities in the complex that are using another company’s control system. This demonstrates that the InteliSys NTC Hybrid controller has the power and the flexibility to be used in situations that require different power sources, load requirements, and even different brands of controllers to work together.
The EV chargers were added because the government wants to deploy 60,000 electric vehicle charging points across the country by 2030 to increase the adoption of EVs to at least 40% of the total vehicle population by 2040. The plan is to charge them from renewable sources, using a solar and battery powered microgrid which will make the electric vehicles even more environmentally friendly.