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With Schneider’s help, NAIT’s Centre for Grid Innovation Phase 2 nearly complete

April 5, 2021 – Schneider Electric has partnered with Edmonton’s Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to help bring Phase 2 of the polytechnic’s Centre for Grid Innovation into being.

Slated for completion this June, Phase 2 extends the capabilities of the centre by adding new distributed energy resources (DERs) and installing EcoStruxure Microgrid Operation (EMO).

“Distributed energy resources are becoming an increasingly favourable option for consumers and distribution entities, especially as new technologies like electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity,” said Frederick Morency, Schneider Electric.

Established in 2018, the centre provides partners with access to a plug-and-play microgrid to develop, test and demonstrate technologies prior to commercialization; compare energy costs and GHG emissions of various technologies; and train staff on the deployment, maintenance and operation of DERs.

“Our partnership with Schneider Electric is crucial in developing the infrastructure that our Centre for Grid Innovation uses to support companies in developing, testing, validating, and advancing products and training in the distributed energy field,” said Sandra Marocco, NAIT.

Phase 2 also marks the completion of the centre’s physical infrastructure.