Multifunctional dispatchable microgrids

Abstract

The dispatchable microgrids can support the operations of the electrical distribution networks acting as controllable active agents by interoperability with the Microgrid Operator. Few published studies have focused on the combination of different ancillary services provided by the same microgrid. Other recent works have addressed single and multiple services applied to distributed generators. This paper proposes a multifunctional control of a low-voltage dispatchable microgrid capable of exploiting the microgrid’s battery banks to provide multiple ancillary services depending on the intrinsic microgrid targets and the upstream grid requirements. The proposed model offers a variety of ancillary services to the utility grid and to the microgrid itself. The microgrid control allows the management of the system considering the following ancillary services: Peak Shaving, Islanded Operation, Reactive Power Support, Power Reserve, Self-Consumption, Flat Power Flow and Capacity firming. The simulation results show that the microgrid imports/exports power and manages its net power flow in support to upstream grid and inherent targets. To achieve such goals, the microgrid MG is controlled through the power-based control algorithm that allows the Microgrid Central Controller to regulate effectively the active and reactive power flow through the point of common coupling. The available battery capability is partitioned to provide more than one ancillary service concomitantly for the network, while maintaining the state of health and avoiding overcharge risk of the battery banks.