Grid ExpanDER

A turnkey software solution to implement non-firm LV grid connections for small-scale generators

Grid ExpanDER panneau de contrôle électrique pour smart grid
Grid ExpanDER par Roseau Technologies

Reduce grid connection costs and delays for power producers

Avoid unnecessary grid investments and save resources with a lean approach

Improve the DSO's customer satisfaction

Help DSOs comply with policies mandating flexibility

Femme utilisant Grid ExpanDER sur 2 ordinateurs pour le management des smarts grids

Extra room for low-voltage generators… CAPEX-free!

Our vision is simple.
Faster and cheaper connections to the LV grid for small-scale generators thanks to our unique smart-meter-based LV grid supervision and control technology: Grid ExpanDER.
Sure, Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems are everywhere nowadays. However, most solutions on the market require dedicated hardware and telecommunications, as well as almost-constant human supervision. Such costly solutions are thus suitable only for specific applications, and inadequate for mass deployment. Reusing the smart metering infrastructure makes a world of difference, turning non-firm LV grid connection into an economically viable solution, network-wide!

A practical solution that results from years of Research, Development, and validation

Not only did we work hard on turning our Grid ExpanDER concept into reality: for validation purposes, we also had to develop a full laboratory test platform which reproduces the physics of a real low voltage grid!
And now that our product successfully went through in-depth lab testing, it’s ready for the next step: real-world pilot deployment!

Grid ExpanDER panneau de contrôle pour les smarts grids et la gestion des solutions éléctiques
Voltage controller

Powerful

Thanks to the careful design of its control loop, Grid ExpanDER achieves an excellent protection against overvoltage and overcurrent constraints, while keeping the loss-of-gain for producers minimal.

Simple & practical

Unlike other approaches based on elaborate building blocks (e.g. complex market mechanisms), Grid ExpanDER relies on a simple local control loop with fully predictable behaviour.

Easy plug-and-play deployment

Grid ExpanDER leverages existing assets, greatly reducing the need to qualify new hardware and software components, and simply integrates with the existing smart metering IT system.

Cost-efficient

Grid ExpanDER 100% relies on the smart metering infrastructure, eliminating the need for costly additional sensors, communication channels, etc.

Respectful of the communication channel

Grid ExpanDER relies on minimal communication capabilities and thus has a nearly transparent effect on the smart metering communication channel. Grid ExpanDER also gracefully handles degraded communication conditions by falling back to a safe mode that preserves the grid from constraints.

Fully automated

Grid ExpanDER runs in fully automated mode and does not require any detailed human supervision.

Cruise control for small-scale generation: how it works

Customer’s premises MV/LV substation A central controllermakes curtailment decisions consolidates measurements and 2 Concentrator Power reduction setpoints are sent back to smart meters 3 Inverter Power invertersrelieve the grid reduce their output accordingly and 4 flexible loads The process also applies to instead of PV inverters 5 1.003.034 Smart meters monitor the grid 1 Smart meter
1

 Smart meters monitor the grid

2
A central controller consolidates
measurements and makes
curtailment decisions
3
Power reduction setpoints
are sent back to smart meters
4
Power inverters reduce
their output accordingly and
relieve the grid
5
The process also applies
to flexible loads instead of
PV inverters

Practical

Grid ExpanDER implements a no-nonsense version of DER flexibility, that does not require complex market design nor the centralized supervision by grid operators of a gazillion of individual small-scale assets.

Cost-effective

Grid ExpanDER reuses the advanced metering infrastructure, eliminating the need for any additional hardware deployment on the grid: in effect, Grid ExpanDER makes non-firm LV connections CAPEX free!

Efficient

Grid ExpanDER usually increases the hosting capacity by tens of percents, while eliminating or deferring the need for grid reinforcement and drastically reducing connection delays.

Want to know more about the project ?

Interested in getting involved?

We welcome collaboration with other R&D stakeholders, both from the industry and academia. If you would be interested in running a collaborative research project on the topic of non-firm connections of distributed energy resources, please get in touch with us!

This project was supported under the “Programme d’investissement d’avenir” (PIA) operated by ADEME