Design of Local Micro-Grids to Solve the Electricity Shortage in Iraq Cities

Abstract

Iraqi cities suffer from a shortage of electric power due to poor production and deterioration of transmission and distribution lines. There is no prospect currently for improving the grid, despite the government's promises. So it has become necessary to find alternatives, at least at the local level. This research, presented a successful alternative, which applied all over the world, which is the local microgrid. Also, it’s developed a design for this microgrid that suits the conditions of Iraq and supports the integration of clean energy produced by the consumer. The results indicate the success of investing in this microgrid by small investors, foreign companies or local administrations of the cities that want to develop their cities in isolation from the problems of the country's national electrical grid. This solution reduce the pressure on the national grid on one hand and improve the electricity service for the consumer on the other hand, by providing the pivotal key to the solution, which is replacing the blind system of paying wages (for electricity service) currently followed in Iraq with the billing system followed in all developed countries of the world. This solution provides the possibility of deploying the economic solar PV system (without batteries) in Iraqi houses to reduce the bills and also allows personal monitoring of electricity consumption so that the consumer can reduce loads during peak times to reduce bills as well.