DC Microgrid and Control System

Prof. Avik Bhattacharya

Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee

Lecture - 01
Overview of Microgrids

Welcome to our NPTEL courses on DC microgrid system. DC microgrid are now one of
the important research topic as well as it has a huge commercial potential. For this reason
we are now taking these courses on DC microgrid. Our presentation layout will be based
on this.
(Refer Slide Time: 00:55)

First we will give the overview of the microgrid with the advent of the distributed
generation. The age of the microgrid has come. So we find lot of microgrid. We can have
a AC microgrid. We can have a DC microgrid and we may have a hybrid microgrid. But
our concentration will be on this course on DC microgrid. And we shall see the historical
background of the DC microgrid.

We shall go back to the days of the Nikola Tesla so where actually he proposed the
actually AC system. All those debate will be taken care of. But at that time with the
bioelectronics was (()) (01:34) or was not available. For this reason DC microgrid
actually put a back set but with the advent of the power electronics now again DC
microgrid comes in a (()) (01:45).

Then we shall see the different current situation of the microgrids. So thereafter
microgrid development, which places we can look for the microgrids kind of solutions,
what will be its commercial criteria, what should be its population or the different kind of
necessity to make or establish a DC microgrid. Thereafter we shall see the prospects and
the financials or the economics behind this microgrids.

Then we shall see that actually research-based microgrid, that is basically future
microgrid acts as a smart grid and what are the challenge at present we have on the smart
grid. So now why microgrid and why do microgrid matters. Of course the reason is that
with the greater enhancement of the distributed generation.
(Refer Slide Time: 02:59)

Now what we can say that microgrid is a scaled-down version of the centralized power
system. It can generate, distribute and control power in a small community. It is reliable
and flexible. Microgrids are designed to provide uninterrupted power to the balanced load
demand for a customer with the changing power need. So these are the balanced load and
all those things comes into the AC system.

So we are talking about DC microgrid. There we have only the voltage is an issue. Why it
is more secure than the centralized grid? The power generated locally and in its smaller
size make microgrid easier to keep safe both physically and given the right control
system from the cyber threats. So one can actually introduce the corrupted data in a
centralized distribution system or the transmission system and thus whole system can
collapse. But in that aspect our microgrid are resilient from this point of view.
(Refer Slide Time: 04:11)
So why it is resilient? Microgrid do not depend on the traditional grid and can be used to
supply critical load in case of the grid system is disconnected. Like please recall that in
2012 we in India it has a catastrophic failure because actually the UP took huge amount
of power and whole India grid was collapsed.

But anyway if you have a smart isolated microgrid these can survive and catering the all
the critical load. So this is its religion and it can save money because you need not have
to put long transmission line and its maintenance cost you can get rid of. So using
sophisticated software to monitor, operate and optimize the power usage based on the
demand utility price and other factors, will power.

These are many entities you may not require if you concentrate more on the microgrids.
And another major aspect or major feature of the microgrid is that it can store because of
the small size it is possible to have a proper energy management and incorporate
renewable energy. Most of the cases it will have a solar system or a micro hydel or micro
wind turbine in a seashore places or the hilly places.

So it can save money and reduce carbon emission as often required by the government
regulations. So this is quite actually quite fit for our today's requirement. Now the
question becomes definitely how do microgrid work? Because there are different entities
and ultimately they are but surely you will find little later every household can be a
source as well as load.

Because you know if you have put solar installations and maybe that consumption of the
particular house is low so they will inject power to the grid and same house after hour or
two can become a consumer. So for this reason we require an advanced control system
enables microgrid component to operate, coordinate, and optimize. Otherwise you will
have a, size of the microgrid will be larger if you do not properly optimize the system.
(Refer Slide Time: 06:56)

The utility grid, the interconnected system serves as a primary source of everyday power.
Microgrid can be islanded or disconnected from the traditional grid during the fault. So
that is what I was saying that if you have a fault so you can cut your system from the
traditional grids and you can operate with the critical load depending on the availability
of your power on that local grid.

Energy storage element, so you shall use this abbreviation quite frequent which is ES that
is most of the cases we will have a batteries stored electricity for use for keeping the
power in hand that will give autonomy. It means that let us say if you have a solar power
plant based system so you may have two or three rainy days then you require to supply
power from the storage battery that is called the autonomy.

So storage power will come will serve to meet the contingencies of those conditions.
Now next important aspect of the DC microgrid is or the microgrid is that controllable
generations provide stable and necessary levels of the voltage and the frequency of the
system if it is a AC system or high pressure system in every point you have to maintain
the frequency. And if it is a DC system so you have a DC bus and you require to maintain
its voltage every point as prescribed within a limit of tolerance.
(Refer Slide Time: 08:35)
And in AC of course you require to maintain both voltage as well as frequency. Now
there are a few entities that we will find that quite critical while discussing on the
microgrid. One is non controllable generations. In a solar because you do not have a
control because you can control, please recall your thermal power generations or the or
your hydel power generation where you can open the throttle of the valve and you can
control.

Then you have a governor to actually control the flow of the stream. But here solar
radiation is not controllable. So it is not that you can change your control input from the
solar and you can have the power output as required. So for this reason we require to
meet the reverse. You know one of the basic problem of the electrical engineer is that we
consider that load is something is not controllable.

We shall try to meet the load by the generation. But here the philosophy is different.
Whatever you earned you are going to spend. That means whatever generation you do
you will spend that amount of it. And for this reason you have a uncontrollable
generations. The intermittent input of the source fluctuates based on the factors such as
weather.

Like you know if it is solar it is the iterations and temperature. If it is a wind the wind
speed. Example solars and wind power generation system and thus you have a
controllable load. You have to segregate your critical and the non-critical load. So critical
load has to run always if there is a non-critical load. For example I require to wash my
clothing it can be done anytime.

And you have plenty of time in a day where plenty of the power is available from that
moment it can start and do it. So for the reason we have controllable load. So control
solutions for this (()) (11:15) we have different kind of energy availability in different
point of time accordingly you will actually schedule your loading. So control solution
optimize energy uses within a building or the community depending on the needs and the
priorities.

Of course if you require to run this washing machine we have actually got to pay the
higher tariff, if solar is less. So managing the microgrid, so this is something we require
to understand. So who are the stakeholder of the microgrid. So during outages that the
main grid if it is off, microgrid management systems coordinates with the utility grids
and enables microgrid owner. Enables the microgrid owner to become in essence the mini
utilities. So it will act itself as a utility.

Power can be optimized according to the availability, efficiency and the costs. So you
may have a right of option then you have to pay the higher tariff like if (()) (12:30) power
is available then power become cheap you are supposed to do most of the task then.
When the power is costly you will just run your critical loads.

It takes full advantage of the renewable energy sources for optimally dispatching the
stable fossil-fuel generations or the battery storage to ensure the grid is always operating
at a reliable state. So this is one of the priority area of the microgrid operation. It creates a
flexible and the scalable system that can adapt as energy infrastructure plan change over
time.

So you know actually there is a issue right you know you take a dinner at night thereafter
you have a dishwasher and you want the dishwasher to be done at 9:00 p.m. but there is a
pick load. But you do not bother because (()) (13:28) throughout the day. Or in a
microgrid system so you have a timers and all or you can put it to the this because your
dishes will be used in the morning.

So at the time at night maybe when the grid power becomes cheap you can do that. So
accordingly it has to be scheduled and thus proper energy management system is required
to be placed in case of the microgrids.
(Refer Slide Time: 14:07)
So now these are our actually content or overview of our course structure that will be on
the eight weeks. So first what we are continuing today that will be actually the
introduction to the microgrid. Thereafter we shall discuss concept of the microgrid. Each
lecture will have a half an hour durations. Thereafter microgrid and the conventional
central power system we will take two lectures that in one hour.

AC DC microgrid with distributed energy sources we will have two lectures. Thereafter
power electronics for AC microgrid. One lecture where power electronic converter in AC
microgrid application. That will be three lectures. We shall discussed different kind of DC
to DC converters here. Modeling of the converter in the microgrid power system we will
take two lectures.

That are modeling of the renewable energy resources, quite interesting topic. That we will
try to cover in three lectures quite challenging though this task. Thereafter microgrid
dynamics and modeling, thereafter, and its stability. Then microgrid operation modes and
standard. So these are the presentation layout of your microgrid topic, DC microgrid
topic.

And followed by you know we will have a microgrid control architectures. Then we shall
have a intelligent microgrid operation and control and operating power network energy
management for the microgrid.
(Refer Slide Time: 15:51)
This is the important topic in terms of the energy efficient system. Then we shall see the
different type of architecture that is DC microgrid technology, system architecture, AC
grid interface that we will try to cover in two lectures. Microgrids, DC microgrid power
modeling, two lectures. And DC microgrid control two lectures. Thereafter you know
application of the DC microgrid and the future smart grids.

And linear and the non linear stability analysis of the DC microgrid and conclusions. So
this will be our presentations layout as well as the topic we are going to cover in this
course. Now let us go back to the introductions that is the background of the DC
microgrid. So we shall cover this at the following topic.
(Refer Slide Time: 16:46)

That is overview of the microgrid, historical background of the microgrid, current

situations of the microgrids. Then microgrid development, microgrids prospects, future
microgrids in smart grids and challenges in microgrids. Now let us see that overview of
it. Microgrid can be achieved power balance and the optimal energy allocations over a
given area or as a virtual power source or load in the distribution network.

So it will acts as a virtual power source or virtual power plant. It can consist of one or
more virtual power plant. That abbreviation we shall use frequently. Please remember it.
It is VPPs. To meet the demand of the load center and which can be important office
building or the factories, remote residence where the traditional way of electricity supply
is expensive.

Like you can recall that you know first DC microgrid was actually microgrid was
established in West Bengal in (()) (18:09) that was quite long ago in 80s. So that was
basically the remote residence where traditional electric supply is expensive.
(Refer Slide Time: 18:24)

Compared with the traditional transmission and the distribution networks, a microgrid has
a much more flexible structure. And you know it is not only that because you can
consider a ship itself a microgrid. So there are many way you can look at it, a microgrid
problem. Microgrid possess independent control and intentional islanding that takes place
with the minimal service interruptions.

That mean seamless transition from the grid connected to the islanding operation. If any
moment of microgrid decided to go into the islanding mode, it can go to islanding mode.
So it may disconnect from the utility and is done independently. So this kind of system is
quite advantageous to self maintenance or self sustainability of the microgrid. And it can
utilize and control DG here transferred distributed generation not diesel generation
mostly.
Please remember that is an effective, flexible and the smart manner. So we shall control
the distributed generation in effective, flexible and smart manner.
(Refer Slide Time: 19:53)

So few histories of the microgrid, we have put into the perspectives. R. H. Lasseter of
University of Wisconsin-Madison proposed the concept of the microgrid as long as in
2001 and later Consortium for the Electric Reliability Technology Solutions, CERTs and
European Commission Project Microgrid also gave their definitions of the microgrid. So
it has started its inceptions from 2001.

In 2002 in USA, National Technical University in Athens built a small laboratory of

microgrid project known as NTUA power system laboratory facility for test and control
of DER that is distributed electric resources load with the multiagent technology. Then
again in 2003, same Wisconsin-Madison established the small laboratory of microgrid
that is called NREL Laboratory of microgrid with the capacity of just 80 KVA for test and
control of various type of distributed loads and its different modes of operation.
(Refer Slide Time: 21:19)
Now in 2003, multiple microgrid distribution systems were built across the world
including 7.2 kV microgrid in Mad River Park, Vermont in USA and the 400 volt
microgrid in Kythnos Island in Greece as well as in the Aichi and Kyotango and
Hachinohe project in Japan. So in 2004 the CESI, this RICERCA test facility was built in
Milan in Italy which can be restructured into the different topologies for the steady state
and the transient operation state and power quality analysis.

So this was started in Italy. Thereafter in England in 2005 the Imperial College London
control and the power research centre was set up in the London, UK for distribution
network prototype tests and the load tests.
(Refer Slide Time: 22:27)

Now history of microgrid, multiple distribution demonstration projects were successfully

built around the world including Japan’s Sendai system in 2004. Shimizu microgrid in
2005 and Tokyo Gas Microgrid in 2006. Spain Labein microgrid in 2005. USA’s Sandia
National Laboratories in 2005 and Palmdale’s Clearwell Plumping stations in 2006 and
Germany's Manheim microgrids in 2006.
(Refer Slide Time: 23:08)

So what are the current situation of the microgrid? Nowadays the world’s power sector is
facing challenge due to increasing load and the environmental issues. So we require to
reduce the carbon footprint and we want that same lifestyle required to be continued or
lifestyle they got to be enhanced in case of the countries like India where still power
consumption per capita is quite low.

Low energy and for this reason what happen, there are environmental issues, low energy
efficiency and the user’s power quality needs. So that all require to be addressed through
the microgrids. Microgrid can utilize and control distributed generation in an effective,
flexible, and smart manner. That we will see how it can be done and hence can best
address these above-mentioned problems.
(Refer Slide Time: 24:10)
Now microgrid developed in different countries, of course USA was first started, the
concept of the microgrid was originated in US. The architecture proposed by the, that is
what I have shown few slide ago, CERTS consist of power electronics technologies based
on power technology based micro sources with capacity of 500 kilowatts and loads that
integrate power electronics technologies based control scheme.

In 2003 the goal of the microgrids modernization is set up in USA to widely integrate that
IT that is information technology and the communication technology into a power system
to get the smart grid or achieve grid smartness.
(Refer Slide Time: 25:05)

Microgrid developed in different countries, so in USA also. In the view of the grid
modernization the focus of the US future microgrids are to improve the reliability for
critical load, meeting various customized quality demand minimizing the cost and
realizing smartness. Thereafter it comes to the Japan. Japan also has contributed in the
microgrid in a larger way.

In Japan microgrid is studied with the aim of diversifying energy mix reducing pollutions
and meeting customized demand.
(Refer Slide Time: 25:46)

The multiple microgrid projects are implemented in Japan. Japanese scholar put forward
the concept of flexible reliability and the intelligent electrical energy delivery system. It
is called FRIENDS. The FRIENDS expected to flexible AC transmission system that is
FACTS to distributed distribution network to make full use of their advantage in quick
and flexible optimized energy control that mix with the energy operation and thus gives
you a very good power quality demand.

Now FRIENDS have become the important form of deployment of the microgrid in
Japan.
(Refer Slide Time: 26:36)
And researchers are considering the system combined with that heat and the power
system for the better environmental friendliness and high energy efficiency. For example
there are few reporting that you know charging and discharging of ultra capacitor that is a
part of the storage element or the stability. So it is huge amount heat will be dissipated.
So why cannot this heat can be used for the water heating purpose.

It set up the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development organization NEDO to
coordinate studies and use the new energy among the universities, companies, and
national key laboratories. So thereafter European Union considering the market demand
and the power supply and the security and the environment and protection,
(Refer Slide Time: 27:37)

European Union proposed smart power network program in 2005. It called for the
efficient and the close energy centralized generations and distributed generation by
making use of the distributed energy sources that DER smart technologies and advanced
power technologies so put together and they came out the concept of smart power
network program.
(Refer Slide Time: 28:04)

Currently these theories of operations, control, protection, security and communication

has been established and verified in the laboratory for the microgrids. The future focus
will be more advanced control strategies standard demonstrations projects to be built in
the foundation of the large-scale integration of the distributed generations and transition
from the traditional grid to the smart grid.
(Refer Slide Time: 28:37)

Now prospect of the smart grid with the advanced IT and the communication
technologies, electric power system will develop towards more flexible, cleaner, safer and
more economic for the smart grids. The smart grid is intended for power system
consisting of generation, transmission, distribution and consumption. It allows for smart
interaction between all kind of developing and introducing advanced control technologies
thereby optimizing electricity production, transmission, and consumption.
(Refer Slide Time: 29:20)

And in the smart grid development the distribution network must shift from the passive to
active which support the DG for the real-time participation of the generation and user
side in optimization the power system operation. Microgrid is an effective means for an
active distribution system which will help large-scale integrations of the DG and
transmission from the traditional grid to the smart grid.
(Refer Slide Time: 29:50)

And last but not least the use of various type of DGs and storage element that is ES in the
microgrid helps to conducive energy saving, emission reduction, and also we shall
discuss all this thing in details. Also significantly motivates towards the sustainable
energy strategies. The new energy base DG that is can largely reduce the feeder losses
and save investment and transmission distribution losses of the network.

It allows for mutual support with the microgrid utilized available resources and
equipment and reliable and utility supply thereby increasing the energy efficiency and the
security of the system. And what are the future?
(Refer Slide Time: 30:39)

Today’s electrical grid must take the challenge to match the modern digital economy and
the information age with higher load demand, uninterrupted power supplies, high power
quality and high value services. The integration of the various intermittent and fluctuating
RES will lead to the reliability problem of the ancillary services, power quality
disturbance and brownout and blackouts.

New electricity transmission and distribution network is required for integrating newly
emerging distributed RES. So this is the challenge and we require to meet that. So for this
reason we have a future microgrid and this smart grid.
(Refer Slide Time: 31:30)
It is a modernized grid that uses a robust two-way communications, advanced sensors,
distributed computers to improve the efficiency, reliability, safety of the power delivery
use. And thereafter we have the system operator, the control of the electric power,
customer level, small scale distributions as well as the storage devices. Communicate
informations on operating status and need to collect the information on price and the grid
conditions.

And last but not least, transformation of the grid and the central control into a
collaborative network. So and the SGs incorporate the distributed intelligence and the
interactive communication at all levels of the power of the network in order to coordinate
power generation in an optimal way to improve the system.

And thus in future SG the interest for the microgrids are exposed specifically for
integrating renewable energy and non-conventional energy resources. Thank you. This
was your introduction to the microgrid. Mostly we discussed about the microgrids and its
philosophy. We shall continue to the next class. Thank you for your attention.