System and method for automated clean energy blackstart for backup auxiliary power, microgrid customer loads, and utility grid
A method and system for performing blackstart functionality from renewable generation and battery energy storage systems are disclosed. A plant may include a microgrid that includes one or more customer loads and that may provide power to a utility grid. Blackstart may be performed to restore operations to part or all of the plant or to external loads such as microgrid customer loads or part of the utility grid. In practice, blackstart may be performed in order to restore operation to the one or more feeders in the plant, such as to the generation sources within the plant, to restore power to the plant auxiliary loads, customer loads in the microgrid, and to provide power to different sections of the grid when transitioning from shutdown mode of operation. In this way, the method and system may automatically transition from a shutdown mode of operation to an islanded mode of operation.
1 . A method for performing blackstarts of a plant from a shutdown mode, wherein the plant includes at least one microgrid for powering one or more customer loads and wherein the plant, when grid-tied, provides power to or receives the power from at least part of a grid that is operated by a utility, wherein the plant when islanded is disconnected from providing or receiving power to the at least part of the grid, and wherein the blackstart for the at least one microgrid or the at least the part of the grid comprise a soft blackstart and a hard blackstart, wherein the soft blackstart at least partly precharges at least one transformer prior to grid-forming and wherein the hard blackstart does not precharge the at least one transformer prior to grid-forming, the method comprising:
responsive to receiving an indication to perform at least one blackstart:
checking status of one or both of at least one islanding breaker that islands the plant from the grid or at least one isolation breaker that isolates the plant from the one or more customer loads;
checking capacity to at least meet load that is energized in performing a customer load blackstart or a utility blackstart;
performing a plant auxiliary blackstart in order to blackstart one or more feeders within the plant, thereby grid-forming an auxiliary feeder within the plant;
dynamically determining a blackstart sequence of performing, after performing the plant auxiliary blackstart, the customer load blackstart and thereafter the utility blackstart or performing the utility blackstart and thereafter the customer load blackstart, wherein the customer load blackstart blackstarts the at least one microgrid for powering the one or more customer loads, thereby grid-forming the at least one microgrid, wherein the utility blackstart blackstarts the at least part of the grid, thereby grid-forming the at least part of the grid;
determining, for the customer load blackstart and for the utility blackstart, whether to perform the soft blackstart or the hard blackstart; and
performing the blackstart sequence, using the soft blackstart or the hard blackstart as determined, for the customer load blackstart of the at least one microgrid and for the utility blackstart of the at least part of the grid.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein checking the status of one or both of the at least one islanding breaker that islands the plant from the grid or the at least one isolation breaker that isolates the plant from the one or more customer loads comprises:
in preparation for performing the plant auxiliary blackstart:
responsive to the status of the at least one islanding breaker being closed, causing the at least one islanding breaker to open so that the plant is islanded from the grid; and
responsive to the status of the at least one isolation breaker being closed, causing the at least one isolation breaker to open so that the plant is disconnected from the at least one microgrid; and
after performing the plant auxiliary blackstart and in preparation for performing the customer load blackstart or the utility blackstart:
causing one or both of the at least one islanding breaker to close so that the plant is grid-tied to the at least part of the grid or the at least one isolation breaker to close so that the plant is connected to the at least one microgrid.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein after performing the plant auxiliary blackstart and in preparation for performing the customer load blackstart, causing the at least one isolation breaker to close so that the plant is connected to the at least one microgrid; and
after performing the customer load blackstart and in preparation for performing the utility blackstart, causing the at least one islanding breaker to close so that the plant is grid-tied to the at least part of the grid.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to performing the plant auxiliary blackstart, determining whether power from the plant meets or exceeds the grid-forming of the auxiliary feeder within the plant;
wherein, prior to performing the plant auxiliary blackstart, determining whether the power from the plant meets or exceeds the grid-forming of the at least one microgrid to power the one or more customer loads; and
wherein, prior to performing the utility blackstart, determining whether the power from the plant meets or exceeds the grid-forming of the at least part of the grid.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft blackstart for the customer load microgrid blackstart is performed at least partly while performing the plant auxiliary blackstart.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft blackstart for the utility blackstart is performed at least partly while performing the plant auxiliary blackstart.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one isolation breaker and the at least one islanding breaker are controlled in order to perform the soft blackstart to at least partly precharge the at least one transformer prior to closing the at least one islanding breaker.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein checking the capacity to at least meet load that is energized in performing the customer load blackstart or the utility blackstart is different based on whether the soft blackstart or the hard blackstart is performed.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a command; and
wherein dynamically determining the blackstart sequence is based on the command.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the plant auxiliary blackstart comprises:
powering one or both of temperature or humidity control electronics of the plant with one or more universal power supplies, the temperature or humidity control electronics controlling one or both of temperature or humidity of batteries;
after powering the one or both of temperature or humidity control electronics of the plant, using the batteries in order to perform the plant auxiliary blackstart.
11 . A plant configured to perform blackstarts from a shutdown mode, the plant comprising:
at least one microgrid configured to supply power to one or more customer loads;
communication functionality configured to communicate with a utility; and
at least one controller configured to:
responsive to receiving an indication to perform at least one blackstart:
check status of one or both of at least one islanding breaker that islands the plant from at least part of a grid that is operated by the utility or at least one isolation breaker that isolates the plant from the one or more customer loads, wherein the plant, when grid-tied, is configured to provide power to or receive the power from the at least part of the grid, wherein the plant when islanded is disconnected from providing or receiving power to the at least part of the grid;
perform a plant auxiliary blackstart in order to blackstart one or more feeders within the plant, thereby grid-forming an auxiliary feeder within the plant;
check capacity to at least meet load that is energized in performing a customer load blackstart or a utility blackstart;
dynamically determine a blackstart sequence, after performing the plant auxiliary blackstart, of performing the customer load blackstart and thereafter the utility blackstart or performing the utility blackstart and thereafter the customer load blackstart, wherein the customer load blackstart blackstarts the at least one microgrid for powering the one or more customer loads, thereby grid-forming the at least one microgrid, wherein the utility blackstart blackstarts the at least part of the grid, thereby grid-forming the at least part of the grid;
determine, for the customer load blackstart and for the utility blackstart, whether to perform a soft blackstart or a hard blackstart, wherein the soft blackstart at least partly precharges at least one transformer prior to grid-forming and wherein the hard blackstart does not precharge the at least one transformer prior to grid-forming; and
perform the blackstart sequence, using the soft blackstart or the hard blackstart as determined, for the customer load blackstart of the at least one microgrid and for the utility blackstart of the at least part of the grid.
12 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein prior to performing the plant auxiliary blackstart, the at least one controller is configured to analyze power conversion systems (PCSs) available to determine whether there is capacity to perform the grid-forming of the auxiliary feeder within the plant;
wherein prior to performing the customer load blackstart, the at least one controller is configured to analyze the PCSs available to determine whether there is capacity to perform the grid-forming of the at least one microgrid to power the one or more customer loads; and
wherein prior to performing the utility blackstart, the at least one controller is configured to analyze the PCSs available to determine whether there is capacity to perform the grid-forming of the at least part of the grid.
13 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to perform the customer load blackstart or the utility blackstart by performing one or both of:
at least partly simultaneously blackstarting one or more feeders within the plant and at least one electronic device electrically connected to the at least one microgrid, thereby grid-forming an auxiliary feeder within the plant at least partly while powering the at least one electronic device for powering the one or more customer loads using the at least one microgrid; or
at least partly simultaneously blackstarting the one or more feeders within the plant and at least one electronic device for powering the at least part of the grid, thereby grid-forming the auxiliary feeder while powering the at least one electronic device for powering the at least part of the grid.
14 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein the soft blackstart for the customer load microgrid blackstart is performed at least partly while performing the plant auxiliary blackstart.
15 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein the soft blackstart for the utility blackstart is performed at least partly while performing the plant auxiliary blackstart.
16 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein the at least one isolation breaker and the at least one islanding breaker are controlled in order to perform the soft blackstart to at least partly precharge the at least one transformer prior to closing the at least one islanding breaker.
17 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein checking the capacity to at least meet load that is energized in performing the customer load blackstart or the utility blackstart is different based on whether the soft blackstart or the hard blackstart is performed.
18 . The plant of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a command; and
wherein dynamically determining the blackstart sequence is based on the command.
19 . The plant of claim 11 , wherein performing the plant auxiliary blackstart comprises:
powering one or both of temperature or humidity control electronics of the plant with one or more universal power supplies, the temperature or humidity control electronics controlling one or both of temperature or humidity of batteries;
after powering the one or both of temperature or humidity control electronics of the plant, using the batteries in order to perform the plant auxiliary blackstart.