Situational Aspect of Power Supply Management in Aggregated Microgrids

Abstract

Meeting the electricity demands of various settlements under conditions of frequent power supply interruptions requires new approaches to organizing production and consumption management systems using microgrids. This paper considers an approach that addresses the urgent problem of power supply for local communities through the formation of aggregated microgrids and the management of electricity supply via Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS). These systems aim to extend the duration of power supply to critical infrastructure objects of communities during the emergency disconnection of aggregated microgrids from the distribution network. This is achieved through the optimal management of generation, energy storage systems, and distribution among consumers according to established supply priorities.

This study utilizes a two-tier DERMS architecture that, depending on the status of the connection to the distribution grid (grid-connected or islanded mode), implements local control or coordination of energy production and consumption within the aggregated microgrids. The control problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization task, with the highest priority being the long-term power supply for critical community infrastructure essential for its viability. Additional objectives concern the efficient use of energy resources, specifically the maximization of renewable energy source utilization. It is proposed that all electricity consumers be pre-grouped into clusters based on their supply priority and role in community life-support.

Two microgrid models, forming an aggregated microgrid, were developed and tuned in the MATLAB/Simulink environment using real-world data. The paper presents the performance evaluation results of the proposed approach by simulating the DERMS operation in islanded mode under winter and summer scenarios. The findings indicate that the proposed approach to power supply management in aggregated microgrids enhances the energy resilience of local communities and promotes more efficient use of energy resources.