A network of microgrids could supply renewable energy to Saskatoon’s main power grid and could also work independently if there were a power outage.

A USask associate professor of electrical and computing engineering says that’s the thought process behind a Research Junction project studying the idea of microgrids that connect renewable energy sources with Saskatoon Light & Power’s distribution system.  Dr. Xiaodong Liang says these microgrids could be set up to add power to the main grid and to store power, and if the main grid were experiencing an outage, the microgrid could work independently, like it’s own island of power.  She calls it “self-healing”.

The research will begin with simulations and analytical work and if it seems the system works, the next proposed step would be to invest in some of the hardware.  Research Junction is a partnership between the City and the University of Saskatchewan to tackle urban issues.

Dr. Liang is also the Canada Research Chair in Technology Solutions for Energy Security in Remote, Northern, and Indigenous Communities.  She says microgrids are part of the plan in the north, but the system is different because there is no large connecting grid.  It would be a mixture of renewable and more conventional power generation together with energy storage and the ability for the microgrid to “self-heal”.