The Maldives’ energy mix is powered almost entirely by diesel (more than 80%), along with some other forms of liquid fossil fuels. Power has been provided by small generators on each of the islands, putting the country at risk to volatile oil prices and also to environmental disasters, should there be problems shipping the fuels to the islands. The nation’s bid to largely abandon thermal generator-based electricity production could be seen merely as a signal to the world. With an average elevation of 1.5 meters above sea level, concerns about sea level rise are particularly urgent here. In 2012, the prime minister’s cabinet signed a policy for carbon cuts underwater while scuba diving, which drew international attention. The government has launched several programs, such as the Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program (SREP) and the Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development, to attract millions of dollars from international lenders and funds.

Microgrids are traditionally deployed where end users are not spoiled for choice. The remoteness and terrain of the Maldives make grid access impossible, and without any other choice, the deployment of hundreds of microgrids could be spot on. A leaf out of the island nation’s book could also support other less remote regions in preparing for the energy transition.

Bluesun has exported 300kw microgrid solar system with complete technical supports to Maldives.

A microgrid’s primary function is to manage loads and resources in the grid to keep the stable equilibrium of the two. Using solar power as the leading resource, a microgrid requires storage capacity to substitute for rotating masses, which quickly inject power into the grid when loads change. Improvements in battery inverter technology over the last few years have enabled large-scale storage systems to inject voltage or frequency as required in a matter of a few hundred milliseconds.

“Basically, the energy storage system will adjust the active power output of the power conversion systems, as per the frequency fluctuation of the grid, in a bid to maintain a stable working status for the grid,” explains energy storage product manager.

Through the use of relays and very accurate monitoring today’s grid-forming inverters can remedy a 0.5 Hz frequency step almost instantaneously. The devices use single- and double-angle feedforward to achieve this result. The difference to regular inverters is the behavior to react to impulses in the grid. Grid-following inverters tend to follow voltage droops, whereas grid-forming inverters generate a frequency or voltage to counter this change. This is what makes the devices grid-forming.

The Maldives have experienced large-scale deployment of solar microgrids, backed up with battery storage. This leaves diesel gensets mostly idle, available only for prolonged periods of low renewable energy production. Demand has been sizable, with companies installing several dozen microgrids at a time.