Converting Knowledge into Action: From NTNU to three villages in South America,

Africa and Asia

Marta Molinas Jon Are SuulProfessor pos.doc.

Department of Engineering Cybernetics Department of Electric Power Engineering

Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheim, Norway

UiO Energy seminar: The rural energy challengeOslo, March 11th, 2015

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From NTNU to the World

Tanzania

Bhutan

Paraguay

Earth InstituteColumbia Univ.

NTNUTrondheim

NTNUs Vision: "Knowledge for a better world"

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Motivation

• "Knowledge for a better world" – Much knowledge is available at Universities that already

"today" can provide solutions to urgent real problems in the developing world

– To do something that can reach the poorest and most vulnerable people on the planet

• Electricity access to all: – Focus on regions areas where reliable electric power

supply is unavailable or where electricity access is scarse

– Increase local awareness of and practical utilization of freely available renewable energy sources

– Applications where better access to electric power can significantly improve the daily living conditions of people

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Background

• Engineers Without Borders at NTNU (->2011)– RenPEACE (2010) – "Professors Without Borders"

• "Master med Mening" – NTNU– First projects supervised by Prof. Molinas in 2012-2013

• Two students analysing a rural MicroGrid in Wawashang, Nicaragua

• Resource assessment of micro-hydro potential and sizing of PV generation cluster for integration in existing MicroGrid

• Sabbatical year of Prof. Molinas– Fellowship from the "Gross National Happiness

Commission" of Bhutan• 3 months stay in Thimpu, 2 months in Phuentsholing

– Sabbatical stay at the Earth Institute, University of Columbia, New York

Master Thesis

Prof. without bordersEngineers without borders

Master Thesis Concept

Professors without borders - 2012

"Master med Mening" 2012-2013

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Example cases 2013-2014

• C1: Desalination plant with solar PV in Paraguay

• C2: Solar PV Microgrid in Bhutan– Royal University of Bhutan, College of Science

and Technology

• C3: Microgrid in secondary school in Tanzania

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C1: Desalination plant with solar PV in Paraguay

• 2 Master Projects at NTNU, 2013-2014– Ingerid Zeiner: “System Design and Analysis of Electricity

Provision for a Desalination Plant – A study for Pozo Colorado, Paraguay”

• Preliminary design of reverse osmosis desalination plant to cover fresh water demand in Pozo Colorado

• System design and sizing of grid-connected power supply with PV back-up for improved reliability

• System design of stand-alone PV MicroGrid for desalination

– Johannes Waatevik: "Design of a Microgrid for a Desalination Plant in Pozo Colorado, Paraguay"

• Study of electrical system configuration and control of power converters in the system

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Study case Pozo Colorado

• Located in the Gran Chaco area of Paraguay– Dry, underdeveloped region of the country

• Population: about 1700 inhabitants• Expected water demand: 270 m3/day• Insufficient power supply with existing 22 kV power system

– Increased reliability with new line in 2014

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Study case Pozo Colorado

• Current situation: Surface water used as source of drinking water– Not a clean water source: chemical processing needed– Not reliable in dry periods– Previously designed water supply system based on centralized

chemical treatment was not functional• Ground water is available but has high salinity

– Desalination is necessary for safe and reliable water supply

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Desalination System Overview

• Based on Reverse Osmosis– Well pumps, pre-treatment pumps, high pressure pumps

and distribution pump for operating the plant– Dependent on reliable power supply

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Outcomes from activities until now

• Academic results at NTNU– 2 completed Master Projects– 2 conference publications:

• Ingerid Zeiner, Jon Are Suul, Marta Molinas, "Competitiveness of Grid Connected Photovoltaic Power Supply for a Desalination Plant under a Prospective Power Market in Paraguay," in Proceedings of The 2nd IEEE Conference on Power Engineering and Renewable Energy, ICPERE 2014, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, 9-11 December 2014, 6 pp.

• Ingerid Zeiner, Jon Are Suul, Aldo Marcos, Marta Molinas, "System Design and Load Profile Shaping for a Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant Powered by a Stand-Alone PV System in Pozo Colorado Paraguay," in Proceedings of the 2014 Ninth International Conference on Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies, EVER 2014, Monte-Carlo, Monaco, 25-27 March 2014, 7 pp.

• Local application for governmental funding to develop the designed desalination plant

• Application for establishment of a MSc program on electric power conversion and renewable energy at the National University of Asuncion in cooperation with NTNU

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C2: Solar PV Microgrid in Bhutan• Project in cooperation with Royal University of Bhutan

(RUB), College of Science and Technology (CST), Phuentsholing– Development of a Solar PV Microgrid as a demonstration

facility for educational purposes at the College Campus

• Master Projects at NTNU, 2014-2015– Håkon Duus: Development of methodology for planning

and energy system analysis of MicroGrids based on the investigated case

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Current situation in Bhutan

• Political target to quickly achieve 100 % electricity access• Slower expansion of the national grid

– Important to ensure grid compatibility of developed MicroGrids

Grid access

91.5

82.6

Bhutan Grid Access to Electricity

[% of Households]Urban Rural

Micro hydro access

Solar access

0.4 00.3

4.4

Bhutan Microgrid Access

[% of Households]

Urban Rural

Source: Bhutan Living Standards Survey 2012 Report

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Planned Microgrid Demonstration

• Funding granted by UNDP– Project in cooperation with RUB,

NTNU and Earth Institute

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Earth Institute – Modi Research Lab

Sharedsolar weblink: http://sharedsolar.org/

Shared Solar: Prepaid Electricity via Mobile Telephony

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Plan for building long-term cooperation

International Master

Programme

Gateway to Columbia University

Prototype Microgrid

Virtual Mobility Lectures

International Linkage

Expected Outcome: self-standing academic relations between RUB, NTNU and Modi Research Lab at Earth Institute based on the 6 year inception period of the International Master Programme

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Expected Outcomes

• Academic results at NTNU– New MSc Projects– Technical advances and scientific publications

• H. Duus, S. Mandelli, M. Molinas, O.Fosso, “A methodology for supporting the planning of micro-grids based on composable tools: A case in Bhutan,» in IEEE International Youth Conference on Energy, Pisa 2015

• Capacity Building: Improved facilities for training and education at RUB CST

• In 2016: A joint 6-year MSc program between NTNU and RUB on Hydro power and MicroGrids (application to NORAD)– Initial phase: Main study at NTNU, 3-4 months at RUB – Final phase: Master Program at RUB, 3-4 months stay at NTNU – Self sustainability of Master Program at CST by 2022

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C3: Microgrid in Tanzania

• Project in cooperation with Politecnico di Milano and local communities in Tanzania– Restoration and expansion of a Microgrid for the

secondary school in the Ngarenanyuki village in Northern Tanzania

– Part of the initiative "Energy4Growing"

• Exchange stay of PhD candidate Stefano Mandelli at NTNU in 2014

DIPARTIMENTO DI ENERGIA

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Existing system in Ngarenyuki

• Run-off-the river Micro-hydro– No governor– Dump-load for

frequency control

• Small battery storage

• Petrol generator as back-up power supply– Manual switching

between sources

• Frequent blackouts

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Upgraded MicroGrid System

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Upgraded MicroGrid system• AC system

– Double bus-bars– Micro-hydro generator– Dump-load– Diesel Generator– Local loads– Programmable Logic

Controllers (PLCs) and monitoring system

• DC system– PV panels with MMPT– Lead acid batteries– Bidirectional converter

capable of grid forming & grid following operation

• Should be prepared for grid connected operation

• Political decisions to expand the national HV distribution grid to the

• Uncertain time frame

The people involved

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Expected Outcomes

• Upgraded MicroGrid for the secondary school in the Ngarenanyuki village, Northern Tanzania

• PhD Thesis of Stefano Mandelli, – "Strategies for Access to Energy in Developing Contries: Methods and

Models for Off-Grid Power System Design", Politecnico di Milano, Italy, March 2015

• Joint publications with Politecnico di Milano and NTNU– Stedano Mandelli, Marco Merlo, Elisabetta Tedeschi, Marta Molinas, "Electro-

Mechanical Model for Understanding the Operation and Dynamic Behavior of a Micro-Grid: a case study in Tanzania," in the 2015 Tenth International Conference on Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energy, EVER 2015

– M. Merlo, S. Madelli, E. Colombo, M. Molinas, E. Park, M. Leonardi, “The Role of Storage in Emerging Countries” Elsevier Journal, 2015

• Further joint projects

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Summary

• Attempts to apply NTNUs Vision in practical actions – "Knowledge for a better world"

• Project for improving access to electricity while supporting local education and research– Projects for improving living conditions– Demonstration projects– Joint educational programmes– Capacity Building– Scientific development and publication of relevant results

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?