Modeling & Analysis of Small Hydroelectric Generation and Battery Energy Storage Connected as a Microgrid

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Interest in battery energy storage continues to grow as a way to realize a variety of benefits in complement to their ability to store energy, including incorporation in microgrids that can operate in parallel with or completely isolated from the larger power grid. This paper considers small hydroelectric generation and battery energy storage connected as a microgrid. The specific project studied is located in the mountains of Washington State, and the microgrid analyzed could provide backup power to a small town that experiences frequent power outages. A dynamic model is generated and a transient stability analysis of the system is performed to study whether it remains stable if operated as the proposed microgrid. In particular, the ability of the battery energy storage to provide frequency regulation to the generator is considered.