INVESTIGATION OF ZONAL NANOGRIDS FOR IMPROVED MILITARY INSTALLATION ENERGY RELIABILITY

Abstract

This thesis investigates the potential of bringing the concept of zonal shipboard power ashore with zonal nanogrids to enhance energy reliability at military installations, which addresses the limitations of traditional microgrid systems and emergency backup generators. A reliability analysis was conducted by using the reliability block diagram method to compare microgrid and zonal nanogrid configurations with various control architectures to identify the most reliable solution. Results from a hypothetical case study of a naval air station indicated that decentralized zonal nanogrids offer higher reliability of any load having power over a 14-day grid power outage. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify key components affecting reliability. This research validated zonal nanogrids as a potential solution to enhance military energy security. This work also contributes to advancing the reliability pillar of the Energy Security Framework and offers guidance for designing reliable energy systems at military bases.