A Grid of Microgrids

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Microgrids have been supplying electricity for decades to isolated communities such as islands and remote villages throughout the world, mostly based on diesel generator sets. Hence, these grids are well-known systems, with well-developed and -tested components, characteristics, operating strategies, controls, economics, and policies. However, in the past few years, there have been rapid and significant developments in microgrids, which are radically and holistically affecting these systems. The main motivations for and reasons behind these changes are manifold. One of the main drivers is the need to adequately integrate rapidly developing Distributed Generation (DG), especially if powered by renewable resources with power converter interfaces, fueled by high energy costs and reduced DG prices, especially wind turbines and solar PV, plus incentives to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and dependency on fossil fuels. This is the case of Germany, where rooftop solar PV panels are widespread, leading by default to grid-connected microgrids becoming more common, as well as in Arizona, Hawaii, and Australia, where the relatively high costs of electricity compared to the costs of deploying solar PV panels, has led many customers to install these systems. In this context, microgrids are allowing to integrate distributed and green energy resources with local and regional grids and thus supply demand through clean energy systems, which is especially the case of remote community microgrids in Arctic and Northern communities in Canada and the US, where diesel generator sets are being replaced by wind and solar PV generators plus batteries.***Another important driver for microgrids, particularly in the US, Canada, and Japan, has been the increasing frequency, duration, and size of storms associated with climate change. These “super” storms, as they are being referred to, are leaving highly populated urban areas without electricity, for weeks in some cases. This is leading to a reformulation, particularly in North America, of power grid planning and operation driven by the need for a more resilient grid, with local microgrids playing a significant role in supplying electricity under emergency situations. ***There has been significant research work published on microgrids, particularly related to their internal operation. However, the interconnection of microgrids and their integration and interaction with the main grid, which is the main theme of the present proposal, is a much less researched area where there is still significant work to be done to accomplish the main objective of the present proposal, which can be summarized as the study and development of a grid of microgrids, concentrating in particular in multi energy carriers, stability, control, and operation. The proposed work should lead to a better understanding, operation and management of microgrids integrated with bulk power systems.**