Its main objective is to demonstrate, through the implementation of a full-scale, intelligent industrial smart grid, that microgrids can become one of the most suitable solutions for energy generation and management in factories seeking to minimize their environmental impact.
Launched by the Navarre-based company Corporación Jofemar and the National Renewable Energy Centre (CENER), the project was selected from among all proposals for its high degree of technological innovation in the field of renewable energies and for its commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. As part of the project, the partners will design and implement a microgrid at Jofemar's facilities in Peralta, Navarre. The Factory Microgrid microgrid will address the specific energy needs of the industrial plant where it will be located, thus demonstrating the suitability and viability, both technically and economically, of this type of solution in industrial environments. A preliminary analysis has identified a 120 kW wind turbine and a 40 kW rooftop photovoltaic system as power generation sources, and ZnBr flow batteries with a storage capacity of up to 500 kWh as energy storage systems. The microgrid will also integrate six bidirectional electric vehicle charging points and one 50 kW fast-charging station, which will supply six electric vehicles.
This microgrid will allow for the testing and validation of different energy management strategies, generating 160,000 kWh of greenhouse gas-free energy annually, as well as preventing the emission of 96 metric tons of CO2 through dispatchable load management and the use of electric vehicles. Intelligent management will optimize renewable energy consumption in both transportation and daily factory operations, reduce peak energy consumption and energy losses during transmission and distribution, and provide Jofemar with a reliable electrical system that does not require auxiliary systems dependent on fossil fuels. The Factory Microgrid project will run from July 2014 to June 2017 and represents an investment of nearly €2 million, approximately 50% of which will be financed by the LIFE+ program, the European Union's environmental financing instrument.
