Hybrid communication architectures and algorithms for Smart Grids

Abstract

Present era has witnessed notable changes in power grids since the inception of the smart newlinegrid. The dynamic growth of power grid ensued from rapid advancements in smart grid newlinetechnologies such as renewable energy generators and electric vehicles. The emerging variations in the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy as well as real-time management of energy demands need to be tackled meticulously to ensure self-sustainability of the power grid. Energy sustainability can be facilitated by development of Cyber Physical System (CPS) enabled distributed microgrids (a regionally limited smart distribution grid) capable of dynamic energy management to pare down the mismatch between the electricity demand and generation. CPS enabled microgrids are furnished with intelligent elements, distributed throughout the power grid, which collaboratively work towards a pre-set goal, based on physical and electrical parameters. In this dissertation, an architecture for a smart distribution power grid, empowered with CPS enabled microgrids has been proposed. In a smart distribution power grid, cost effective reliable communications have crucial roles in achieving desired functionality. Diverse data packets, exchanged among intelligent network elements within a microgrid are set with different Quality of Services (QoS) requirements. This makes it challenging to design an optimal communication architecture for a microgrid and a smart distribution grid. One of the objectives of this research work was to determine the optimal newlinecommunication technologies for each type of data packet, based on its QoS requirement. Since smart buildings are the fundamental blocks of a microgrid or a smart distribution grid, energy sustenance of smart building has great importance. (abstract attached)