Microgrid Configuration Tool

What is a microgrid Design Toolkit (MDT)?

Sandia National Laboratories developed the Microgrid Design Toolkit (MDT), a decision support software for microgrid designers that is publicly available for download.

What is a microgrid design tool?

The MDT allows designers to model, analyze, and optimize the size and composition of new microgrids or modifications to existing systems. Technology management, cost, performance, reliability, and resilience metrics are all offered by the tool.

Should microgrid planning and design tools be repurposed?

While microgrid planning and design tools achieve their project goals and requirements, repurposing them to meet new or evolving requirements is often a time consuming and difficult proposition.

What is a microgrid planning capability?

Planning capability that supports the ability to model and design new microgrid protection schemes that are more robust to changing conditions such as load types, inverter-based resources, and networked microgrids.

Why do we need a microgrid?

Industry and the academic fields have developed and are developing sophisticated economic models on how utility costs and revenues affect the electricity rates offered to consumers. These models are a source of calculations for consumer savings and energy equity which, in turn, drive the outcomes of microgrid planning and design tools.

What drives microgrid development?

Resilience, efficiency, sustainability, flexibility, security, and reliability are key drivers for microgrid developments. These factors motivate the need for integrated models and tools for microgrid planning, design, and operations at higher and higher levels of complexity.