News

Full-Scale Microgrid added to Power Systems Experience Center

May 01, 2017 by Jeff Shepard

Power management company Eaton has expanded the range of capabilities in its Power Systems Experience Center (PSEC), a full-scale training, testing and demonstration facility near Pittsburgh. The 21,000-square foot facility in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, now includes a complete microgrid solution, which powers the expansion, as well as hands-on demonstrations of a utility substation and utility distribution areas serving multiple markets, from industrial to residential. The PSEC's real-world training scenarios enhance learning opportunities for industrial, commercial and utility program participants that can be immediately applied to projects in the field.

“Our experience centers across the globe play a crucial role in giving engineers firsthand access to products and technologies powering their industries,” said Dan Carnovale, manager, Power Systems Experience Center, Eaton. “The new experiences we’ve added to our Warrendale facility allow us to display the full breadth of our offerings, from generator to plug, enabling visitors to improve their electrical engineering skills.

Eaton’s PSEC facility typically hosts more than 6,000 engineers, technicians and other guests annually. The expanded training center capabilities in the facility will enable Eaton to host four or more simultaneous sessions or customer events thanks to added training rooms and physical space.

New and expanded experiences for customers in the Warrendale PSEC include: Full-scale microgrid featuring capabilities for solution testing and demonstrations for solar, battery storage, generator and utility feeds, as well as Eaton’s Microgrid Controller. Utility substation featuring a capacitor bank, transformer, regulators, reclosers and feeder automation. Utility distribution area featuring residential, retail, light commercial and industrial vignettes and a simulation of powerline reclosers in action during a lightning storm.

Trade school area featuring several training demonstrations, Air Flow Drive demonstrations, a power systems lab bench and a “behind the walls” display of commercial and residential facilities. Student workroom featuring Eaton’s Wrightline testing and laboratory furniture. Training room(s) featuring a multipurpose 80-person, state-of-the-art room for training purposes with Eaton’s new LED lighting solutions and lighting control system.

“Microgrid management is increasingly critical in the evolution of the power grid,” said Carnovale. “Our expanded training offerings in this area, combined with the ability to showcase a full-scale demonstration of this technology, will provide an invaluable opportunity for customers and students to gain hands-on experience with our microgrid solutions in a live environment.”