Brazil’s largest microgrid, with 2 MWh battery storage, inaugurated at Unicamp university

Unicamp, in São Paulo, Brazil, inaugurated the CampusGrid solar-plus-storage project on its Barão Geraldo campus in Campinas on Nov. 21, 2024.

The microgrid combines a 565 kWp photovoltaic system with a 1 MW/2 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). A 250 kVa backup natural gas generator will kick in during prolonged power cuts. The microgrid features real-time monitoring functions.

The BRL 45.3 million project, developed with CPFL Energia, is part of the National Electric Energy Agency’s (Aneel) Research and Development Program and also involves the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), the Advanced Institute of Technology and Innovation (IATI), the China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI), and Hexing.

“The CampusGrid microgrid, the largest university-based microgrid in Latin America and the Caribbean, covers an area of ​​144,000 m² and combines innovative elements such as renewable and non-renewable energy generation, battery storage, smart metering, and an autonomous control center that allows it to operate disconnected from the main grid,” said Unicamp professor Luiz Carlos Silva. “This ability to operate independently is especially crucial in cases of blackouts, increasing resilience to extreme weather events.”

It is estimated the microgrid’s solar generation capacity will reduce Unicamp’s energy bills by BRL 450,000 per year.

“More than a local solution, CampusGrid is a living laboratory that allows us to validate technologies and expand horizons for future applications,” said Carlos Silva. “From isolated communities in the Amazon to sectors such as mining and irrigated agriculture, the potential for replication is vast and strategic.”

The microgrid also serves Unicamp’s multidisciplinary gym, the Faculty of Physical Education, and the Central César Lattes and Rare Works libraries.

Combating intermittency

TGustavo Estrella, chief executive of CPFL Energia, said, “It is a great source of pride to see that we have managed to develop an economically viable technology to generate clean energy at an affordable cost but we face the challenge of grid operation, which is the issue of intermittency. The world is working on this to find out how to maintain the growth of renewable generation in a sustainable way, combined with the issue of energy security.

“Our mission is that, at some point, we will have entire cities and countries running a system similar to the one we are inaugurating here, in a sustainable way. We have great expectations about how we can contribute to the world’s journey towards energy security.”

CPFL Director of Strategy and Innovation Bruno Monte told pv magazine, “This project … is the largest pilot of its kind. It is something new but it does have the potential to help, in the coming years both Brazil and all countries to integrate distributed generation in a more adherent way, both for grid operations and for delivering energy to customers. So without a doubt, this is a technology that should help with this in the medium term.”

International cooperation 

Chen Daobiao, of CPFL and StateGrid International, hailed the project as a collaboration between Brazil and China, saying, “The development of distributed renewable energy and the promotion of a low-carbon green transition in the economy and society will become a global consensus in tackling climate change. StateGrid attaches great importance to technological research and development, standard formulation, and implementation of demonstration projects in the field of microgrids. This has resulted in a series of technological innovations with independent intellectual property and international leadership, as well as consolidated practical experience.”

Hexing sales director Cao Chunshan added, “From the initial discussions, through the definition of the technical plan and the practical implementation on site, this project not only reflects the joint efforts of all parties involved but also marks a significant advancement for Hexing in the field of technology innovation, microgrids, and renewable energy.”

Hexing has three factories in Brazil: one in Ceará, focused on electricity and water meters, and two in Manaus, which produce energy storage technology and charging stations. 

Chunshan said, “The CampusGrid project presents a high level of technical complexity, robust integration, and technological scope. It demonstrates the excellence of medium-voltage microgrids and campus applications. It is essential to promote the standardization of technologies, foster information, and ensure the successful implementation of projects, in practice. This project is an example of transformative potential for the sector, contributing to redirect the market and reinforce the energy transition in Brazil and Latin America.”

From pv magazine Brasil.