Distributed Optimal Resource Management Based on the Consensus Algorithm in a Microgrid

A microgrid is a promising approach to provide clean, renewable, and reliable electricity by integrating various distributed generations and energy storage systems into power systems. However, highly intermittent renewable generations and various load demands pose new challenges to the optimal resource management in a microgrid. This paper proposes a fully distributed control strategy based on the consensus algorithm for the optimal resource management in an islanded microgrid. The proposed strategy is implemented through a multiagent system framework, which only requires information exchange among neighboring agents through a local network. The objective is achieved through a two-level control strategy. The upper control level is a consensus-based optimization algorithm that discovers the reference of optimal power generation or demand while maintaining the supply-demand balance. The lower control level is responsible for reference tracking of the associated component. Simulation results in the IEEE 14- and 162-bus systems are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.