University of Regina unveils renewable energy microgrid

WATCH: A new microgrid that relies on renewable energy is up and running at the University of Regina. Damian Smith reports.

Green is the colour, not just for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but also for the University of Regina – as the organization has unveiled a new microgrid system which relies on renewable energy.

The U of R’s greenhouse gas technology centre is host to a power generator capable of producing several hundred megawatts.

It’s part of the university’s research efforts on microgrids – a small-scale power grid that can produce electricity for a localized area.

“Microgrids provide a lot of benefits, including advanced stability, lower costs, and new usability of, of generation,” explained Irfan Al Anbagi, an associate professor in the faculty of engineering and applied science.

“The control system is the brain of the micro. So everything is located in one area.”

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The researchers say it’s the first of its kind in Saskatchewan – and the university has partnered with small to medium sized businesses to put the grid to use.

Those with electric vehicles can also make use of the microgrid through free chargers just outside the facility.

Off campus, microgrids can help make renewable energy easier to access – especially in areas where connecting to a regular power grid is much more difficult.

“This can be beneficial to locations where you have difficulty supplying over. and you can utilize renewable generation as well,” Al-Anbagi added.

For now, the microgrid is powered by solar. However, in the longer term, the team hopes their efforts can help renewable energy power the entire U of R campus.

“[This] allows, like a sandbox environment for small and medium sized enterprises to use, as well as larger utilities like SaskPower, to test out or model,” Gregory Mack, the director of research partnerships and innovation explained.

“It’s very useful and they can work with professors and students on campus.”

Based on the lifespan of the solar cells and the lithium-ion batteries – the microgrid is expected to keep on producing energy with its current set-up for approximately 20 years.