Enhanced Coordination in the PV–HESS Microgrids Cluster: Introducing a New Distributed Event Consensus Algorithm

Abstract

To ensure reliable power delivery to customers under potential disturbances, the coordination of a microgrid cluster (MGC) is essential. Various control strategies—centralized, decentralized, distributed, and hierarchical—have been explored in the literature to achieve this goal. The hierarchical control method, with three distinct levels, has proven effective in fostering coordination among microgrids (MGs) within the cluster. The third control level, utilizing a time-triggering consensus protocol, relies on a continuous and reliable communication network for data exchange among MGs, leading to resource-intensive operations and potential data congestion. Moreover, uncertainties introduced by renewable energy sources (RESs) can adversely impact cluster performance. In response to these challenges, this paper introduces a new distributed event-triggered consensus algorithm (DETC) to enhance the efficiency in handling the aforementioned issues. The proposed algorithm significantly reduces communication burdens, addressing resource usage concerns. The performance of this approach is evaluated through simulations of a cluster comprising four DC MGs, in each of which were PV and a hybrid Battery-Super capacitor in the MATLAB environment. The key findings indicate that the proposed DETC algorithm achieves commendable results in terms of voltage regulation, precise power sharing among sources, and a reduction in triggering instants. Based on these results, this method can be deemed as a good development in MGC management, providing a more efficient and reliable means of coordination, particularly in scenarios with dynamic loads and renewable energy integration. It is also a viable option for current microgrid systems, due to its ability to decrease communication loads while retaining excellent performance.

Design and Implementation of an Energy Management System with Event-Triggered Distributed Secondary Control in DC Microgrids

“…In the case of continuous communication, the controller sends 20,000 data per second. In the studies in [4,24], the sampling time was set to 1 ms. In these studies, 1000 data were sent per second in continuous communication.…”

“…Numerous studies focus on DC microgrids, primarily due to their ease of control, the absence of requirements for frequency and reactive power control, and the compatibility of renewable energy sources and energy storage systems with DC structures [2,3]. Control strategies play a crucial role in microgrid studies, employing various methods such as central, decentralized, hierarchical, and distributed hierarchical approaches [4].…”