Smart Energy Management System: Design of a Smart Grid Test Bench for Educational Purposes

Abstract

The presented article aims to design an educational test bench setup for smart grids and renewable energies with multiple features and techniques used in a microgrid. The test bench is designed for students, laboratory engineers, and researchers, which enables electrical microgrid system studies and testing of new, advanced control algorithms to optimize the energy efficiency. The idea behind this work is to design hybrid energy sources, such as wind power, solar photovoltaic power, hydroelectric power, hydrogen energy, and different types of energy storage systems such as batteries, pumped storage, and flywheel, integrating different electrical loads. The user can visualize the state of the components of each emulated scenario through an open-source software that interacts and communicates using OPC Unified Architecture protocol. The researchers can test and validate new solutions to manage the energy behavior in the grid using machine learning and optimization algorithms integrated in the software in form of blocks that can be modified and improved, and then simulate the results. A model-based system of engineering is provided, which describes the different requirements and case studies of the designed test bench, respecting the open-source software and the frugal innovation features in which there is use of low-cost hardware and open-source software. The users obtain the opportunity to add new sources and new loads, change software platforms, and communicate with other simulators and equipment. The students can understand the different features of smart grids, such as defect classification, energy forecasting, energy optimization, and basics of production, transmission, and consumption.