Microgrids are increasingly being used as energy systems for military installations and forward deployed units. Microgrids are small-scale energy networks, and they typically include several alternative, distributed energy resources (DER) whose power delivery needs to be coordinated at different time scales (milliseconds, seconds, and hours). The main technical objective of this project was to demonstrate how foundational technology for microgrid control can be applied in a field environment on a realistic microgrid. The specific goals of the project were: (1) to demonstrate advanced, distributed microgrid control algorithms that solve the dynamic, real-time reconfiguration and optimal dispatch problem of networked microgrids, (2) to construct a concrete and functional demonstration based on a distributed software platform, and to demonstrate it, as a reference implementation for future installations.

The technology developed is a concrete implementation of advanced microgrid control algorithms that implement various transition and power management functions. Specifically, the algorithms implement control and management functions for: (1) power dispatch from microgrid DER proportionally to their ratings, (2) grid support by microgrid DER with frequency/watt mode, (3) power factor control for grid support, (4) dispatch DER power to compensate for the loss of bus in grid-connected mode, (5) managing planned islanding transition, (6) managing unplanned (abrupt) islanding, (7) connecting two adjacent microgrids, (8) dispatch DER power to compensate for the loss of bus in islanded mode, (9) resynchronization and reconnection to main grid. The algorithms are implemented on a fully distributed, resilient computing platform. 

The project team developed, implemented, and validated a complete, distributed microgrid controller software package. The simulation-based evaluation has shown that the approach (1) enabled the formation of a network of microgrids with dynamic boundaries through platform group formation features, (2) supported the low-cost incremental expansion of networked distributed energy resources and critical loads through the platform’s component plug-and-play architecture and reusable interfaces, (3) delivered inherent system resilience due to the distributed peer-to-peer control with no single point of failure and inherent cyber-security features, and (4) simplified the microgrid controller design process by reusing control algorithms and component interfaces through an open source code base of solutions.

The development project has not encountered any implementation issues. For fielding the results of the project, i.e., the control algorithm implementations state-of-the-art embedded, industrial-grade computing devices are needed, that have (1) local area network interfaces with support for IEEE 1588 - Precision Time Protocol (PTP), and (2) interfaces to local DER (e.g. Modbus of serial ports). The developed software code base: the microgrid controller and the software platform is open source, and as such can be used by developers of microgrids.