Overview

BCIT's Intelligent Microgrid will be a test bed where communication technologies (wired, wireless (RF), and Power Line Communication (PLC) also known as Broadband over Powerline (BPL)), smart metering (one phase and three phase), power generation (thermal turbine, photovoltaics (solar), and wind), and even smart appliances are integrated to measure the merits of different solutions, show off the capabilities, and speed up the commercialization of BC made solutions and technologies for the Intelligent Grid. The validation and qualification of architectures, models and protocols will be guided, supervised and scrutinized by BC Hydro and BC Transmission Corporation (BCTC).

To turn BCIT's campus into an Intelligent Microgrid, a network of smart meters and other control components is required. These components need to be fitted with communication modules to enable them to communicate with data aggregation units in substations. These substations need to be equipped with Intelligent Agents to monitor consumption, demand, usage profiles, and distribution yields. The networking of these substations is achieved through their inclusion in BCIT's Internet Engineering Lab (IEL) which includes servers to allow tests on the resiliency of different network topologies, architectures, and protocols for substation networking. Localized power generation plants (solar, wind, and thermal) will be integrated into the microgrid to allow for the development of command and control models for distributed generation and integration of such alternative energy sources into the future Intelligent Grid of British Columbia.