Mobile DC-Microgrid with integrated energy storage as a resilient and sustainable energy source for Nova Scotia

Energy reliability and grid capacity are the greatest challenges facing Canadians. Increases in extreme weather events and power demand, resulting from the growth of electric vehicles and data centres, are creating situations where a secure and resilient energy supply is critical.

An innovative solution that addresses these issues by combining direct-current (DC) based systems is Proventus-Global’s DC- microgrid. The Proventus solution integrates innovative energy storage (ES), and hybrid ultra capacitors (HUC), that can reduce power supply disruptions such as voltage dips. Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) is a technical system that protects companies from such disruptions. Typical solutions make use of batteries, rotating-flywheels or ultracapacitors. The UPS system, based on ultracapacitors called "Ultracapacitor-Uninterruptible Power Supply" (U-UPS), are specially designed to bridge voltage dips up to 10 seconds in low and medium voltage networks. It represents an especially economical and efficient solution for such applications.

The DC-Microgrid is an advanced system combining algorithms, ES and advanced power electronics to create an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective solution. It expands grid capacity through local ES and delivers loads to both urban and remote communities. The DC-Microgrid can combine various renewables and emergency generators to help maximize clean power. This technology is not yet deployed in Nova-Scotia, but similar systems deployed in Europe show great promise.

As a joint collaborative effort, this project endeavors to carry out a technoeconomic analysis of this technology to be deployed for the first time in Nova-Scotia.
This project has three objectives:

1. Conduct a comprehensive technoeconomic analysis, based on the technology, to understand its potential in addressing the growing demand, grid instability, and energy resilience in Nova-Scotia.
2. Recommend the use best case of this technology to address grid challenges.
3. Identify knowledge/technology gaps in this product for implementing in Nova-Scotia.