Modeling and Analysis of a Microgrid for a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Engineering and operation objectives of mission-critical facilities require a reliable and secure power supply system. Microgrids have become the leading technological solution for a resilient and sustainable supply of electricity for critical infrastructures. This paper presents ETAP-based power system studies of a microgrid designed for a mission-critical facility, a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The microgrid consists of a behind-the-meter (BTM) solar photovoltaic (PV) system, a battery energy storage system (BESS), a combined heat and power (CHP) generator, and standby diesel generators. We modeled this microgrid by leveraging the ETAP software and performed power system studies for both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation. Several scenarios were created based on different loading conditions and power source combinations, which are utilized to validate the power system studies. We will discuss the model of the power system investigated, operational strategy and sequences of operation, findings, challenges, lessons learned, and future works.