Unique microgrid for Sultan Qaboos University

MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) will be equipped with a microgrid designed to improve power supply reliability and lower costs by combining electricity from solar, wind and battery storage. The microgrid at SQU is the first deployment of the technology for Siemens in the Middle East, and is the company’s first contribution in a new cooperation agreement with the university.

Siemens will revamp the existing microgrid setup in the Smart Grid and Protection Lab at the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering by adding smart grid features to it. This means that the grid – connecting renewable energy sources with battery capacity — will have intelligent control algorithms optimising power production, storage and consumption in real-time. The project is the third phase of developing the Smart Grid and Protection Lab and is financed by Siemens and The Research Council. With Siemens smart grid features, students will be able to simulate different situations and monitor the grid behavior through a control panel.

Microgrids are transforming traditional electric supply systems. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind, coupled with more stable and intuitive grid automation and control solutions, are giving rise to localised grids that can operate autonomously. This allows campuses, industries, or remote areas to operate their own grids, and can also accelerate the emergence of prosumers — or consumers who generate a surplus of energy and sell it in the microgrid or to the main grid, if it’s connected.

The microgrid at SQU is the first deployment of the technology for Siemens in the Middle East, and is the company’s first contribution in a new cooperation agreement with the university.