Distributed Energy Resources and Microgrids

CEP 360 'Distributed Energy Resources and Microgrids' is an upper-division undergraduate course designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and work with advanced energy systems. The curriculum covers the fundamental concepts of various distributed generation technologies, energy storage, and demand-side management, along with their synergistic operation within microgrids. Key topics include interconnection standards, advanced control algorithms for grid-connected and islanded operation, power quality considerations, and the economic and environmental benefits of these systems. Practical aspects such as protection schemes, communication infrastructure, and the role of intelligent controllers will also be examined. The course emphasizes a systems-level approach to integrating renewable energy and enhancing grid resilience.

Prerequisites

CEP 320

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Introduction to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)lecture

02Lesson 2: Overview of Microgrids and Their Architectureslecture

03Lesson 3: DER Technologies: Generation and Storage Systemslecture

04Hands-on Lab: DER Characteristics and System Sizinglab

05Lesson 5: Microgrid Control Fundamentals and Hierarchical Controllecture

06Lesson 6: Advanced Control Strategies for Grid-Connected Modelecture

07Lesson 7: Islanding Operation and Seamless Transition Managementlecture

08Hands-on Lab: Microgrid Controller Simulation for Islandinglab

09Lesson 9: Power Quality and Stability in DER-Integrated Systemslecture

10Lesson 10: Interconnection Standards and Grid Code Compliancelecture

11Hands-on Lab: Interconnection Requirements and Protection Settingslab

12Lesson 12: Economic and Regulatory Aspects of DERs and Microgridslecture

13Lesson 13: Communication and Cyber-Physical Security for Microgridslecture

14Capstone Service Project: Microgrid Design and Feasibility Studyassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)","Week 2: Lesson 2: Overview of Microgrids and Their Architectures","Week 3: Lesson 3: DER Technologies: Generation and Storage Systems","Week 4: Hands-on Lab: DER Characteristics and System Sizing","Week 5: Lesson 5: Microgrid Control Fundamentals and Hierarchical Control","Week 6: Lesson 6: Advanced Control Strategies for Grid-Connected Mode","Week 7: Lesson 7: Islanding Operation and Seamless Transition Management","Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Microgrid Controller Simulation for Islanding","Week 9: Lesson 9: Power Quality and Stability in DER-Integrated Systems","Week 10: Lesson 10: Interconnection Standards and Grid Code Compliance","Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Interconnection Requirements and Protection Settings","Week 12: Lesson 12: Economic and Regulatory Aspects of DERs and Microgrids","Week 13: Lesson 13: Communication and Cyber-Physical Security for Microgrids","Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Microgrid Design and Feasibility Study"]