Self-Balancing Distributed Energy in Power Grids: An Architecture Based on Autonomic Computing

The management of distributed and intermittent energy generation is a critical challenge within the power domain. This challenge has emerged due to the increase of distributed and renewable energy resources in power networks. Smart Grids are a solution to integrate intermittent and dispersed renewable energy and to increase energy efficiency through the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies. However, Smart Grids require new and innovative models, and software architectures that enable Smart Grids to operate in an intelligent and self-managing way. To deal with the intelligent operation of power grids, this paper presents a reference architecture for autonomic power grids. Specifically, this paper focuses on the capability of self-balancing distributed and intermittent energy. It illustrates how this self-balancing capability is implemented and its usefulness for a scenario of a microgrid located in a real setting, in the south of the Spanish region of Ciudad Real.