Darren Tasker, vice president of industrial sales at Volvo Penta of the Americas, discusses the benefits of blending renewable energy sources with diesel generators in a microgrid.
Governments across the globe are calling for an accelerated transition to decarbonization and increased integration of renewables into energy systems. While much of the conversation naturally focuses on emerging technologies such as solar, wind and battery, the reality is that diesel solutions will continue to play an important role in the microgrid energy strategy mix for years to come. So, what are the benefits of combining renewables and diesel-powered generators within an integrated microgrid solution?
Most microgrids use some combination of solar/wind, battery storage and diesel power to deliver electricity to remote locations. A diesel-powered generator provides backup power when the wind doesn’t blow, or the sun doesn’t shine, or when batteries become depleted.
Diesel power provides reliability that supports electrical loads when renewable energy and battery power cannot. With every system, there will come a time when battery power is insufficient, but the operation still needs power. An internal combustion engine provides instant power for extended periods of time, making it an essential part of most microgrids.
Seamlessly switching from renewable energy to diesel power and back again involves a control system. This technology monitors the amount of energy produced by the microgrid and makes sure energy from renewable sources gets stored in the system’s battery bank. It also tracks electrical demand from the operation. When the system detects a potential power shortage, the controller turns on the diesel-powered generators to fill identified needs. The system manages these transitions seamlessly without operator intervention.
Given the current state of technology, these systems will need to be grossly oversized unless the microgrid utilizes a generator driven by an internal combustion engine
Volvo Penta’s latest addition to its gen-set product portfolio is the D8 Stage 2 and Stage 3A/Tier 3 diesel engine. Based on an engine that has been used globally across the Volvo Group, Volvo Penta engineers said they optimized the design for the power generation market. The company said the new 8 L diesel engine offers a high power density combined with low fuel consumption and low noise levels.
“The proven D8 design is based on mature technology concepts that have undergone hundreds of thousands of testing hours and real-world use,” said Kristian Vekas, product manager for generator engines at Volvo Penta. “With the D8, our customers will benefit from 100% proven, reliable components. We have ensured our solution will function with the required performance and reliability levels in all the applications, climates and environments our customers operate in.
“It has been designed for quick, easy and economical installation as well as ease of operation and maintenance.”
The gen-set engines use high-tech diesel fuel injection and charging systems with low internal losses, contributing to low fuel consumption, said the company.
Backup power
Volvo Penta said the new D8 industrial gen-set engine will mainly be used as a source of backup power, as well as cost-effective primary power generation in areas where energy is scarce. It can be used for both mobile and stationary power generation applications, depending on local emission regulations.
The EU Stage 3A/U.S. EPA Tier 3 compliant D8 (model TAD851-853GE) gen-set engine is a dual speed engine, switchable between rpm (50 Hz) and rpm (60 Hz), it delivers up to 258 kWm at prime power.
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The EU Stage 2 compliant D8 engine, model TAD841-843GE, is also a dual speed diesel unit. Switchable between rpm (50 Hz) and rpm (60 Hz), it is rated 274 kWm at prime power and is also available in three power nodes: 253, 303 and 326 kVA at rpm (50 Hz) at prime power.
Developing the new gen-set engine
Volvo Penta said its engineers spent three years developing, testing and optimizing the new D8 Stage 2 and Stage 3A/U.S. EPA Tier 3 gen-set engine to ensure it met the requirements for a gen-set application.
Anders Wernersson, engineering project manager for Medium Duty Engines at Volvo Penta, shared the work that went into developing the new engine: “Developing a new gen-set engine is both a big investment and challenge, he said. “At Volvo Penta, we focus on what brings value to our customers and put their needs at the heart of our design process. That’s why we started our new 8 L power generation engine project by speaking to our customers and finding out what they wanted to see in a new industrial generator engine.
“Based on their input, our top priorities were high power density, a compact size, low fuel consumption, low noise levels, ease of installation and reliability. They told us that they would mainly use the new engine as a reliable source of backup power, as well as cost-effective primary power generation in areas where energy is scarce. And there was a demand for the engine to be used in both mobile and stationary power generation applications. This gave us some very clear goals and made sure everyone involved in the project was pulling in the same direction and knew exactly what we needed to accomplish.
“As Volvo Penta is part of the Volvo Group, we are in position to have the strength of the group behind us and all the benefits this brings for sharing technologies. This meant that we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, as we could start our development work with the proven D8 base engine. The D8 has already been used globally for a wide variety of applications across the Volvo Group. The proven design is based on mature technology concepts that have undergone hundreds of thousands of testing hours and real-world use, so our customers will benefit from proven, reliable components.
“By combining the product experience from Volvo Trucks with the customer, market and application knowledge of Volvo Penta, we have optimized the design for the power generation segment and created the optimal solution for all the applications, climates and environments our customers operate in.”
Wernersson said that testing was a key part of the development process “and we’ve tested this engine to the maximum – at temperatures of -25°C through to 60°C of sweltering heat.
“We’ve tested everything possible, down to the last screw, in the most demanding conditions to verify performance, reliability and durability.” This included engine calibration testing, functional testing, specific component testing, complete gen-set endurance testing, stress tests, customer installation tests and field testing.
Wernersson said that there are currently around 20 prototype D8 engines undergoing real-world field testing with customers. “This has provided us with invaluable feedback from customers who appreciate the engine’s compact design for its power class – which has been achieved without compromising on cooling performance,” he said.
“Other feedback has centered around the high power-to-weight ratio which contributes to power density, low fuel consumption, low noise levels, quick and easy installation as well as ease of operation and maintenance.”
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