In a tale of resilience and innovation, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recounts the extraordinary journey of its Controllable Grid Interface (CGI), a pioneering technology that faced its first trial amid a record flood in September 2013. Led by Vahan Gevorgian and Robb Wallen, the NREL team navigated the challenges of connecting a brand-new 5-megawatt dynamometer to a 2.75-megawatt wind turbine nacelle, all while pushing the power generated through the never-before-tried Controllable Grid Interface and back into the grid.
Under the immense pressure of a looming deadline and a historic flood near NREL's Flatirons Campus, the team persevered, working tirelessly through nights fueled by pizzas. The CGI, designed to help manufacturers and system operators understand the impact of grid disturbances on renewable energy systems, proved its mettle by successfully completing the trial on the last day. Since then, NREL's 7-MW CGI has been continuously operational, aiding approximately 50 projects in understanding how renewable energy systems react to grid disturbances.
One of the CGI's key benefits is its ability to cover every possible scenario, from small distribution circuits to bulk grids, under various grid conditions. This real-time, controllable research grid, isolated from the utility grid, has played a significant role in enhancing grid reliability. Through CGI, researchers can test entire renewable energy systems, including power transformers, in a realistic environment, minimizing integration issues and advancing the development of reliable products.
The success of CGI has prompted NREL to embark on a new chapter with the development of CGI2, a 20-MW unit set to complement the original CGI. With upgrades and additional functionalities developed over the past decade, CGI2 is poised to further expand NREL's capabilities, enabling more experiments and keeping pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of renewable energy technology.
This compelling journey showcases not only the technological triumphs but also the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team and industry partners, proving that innovation can indeed weather any storm.
Source: cleantechnica.com