Resilience Thorough Microgrids

Abstract

Currently the number of Microgrids (MGs) is continuously increased in distribution network. In this view, the future advanced distribution network can be regarded as clusters of MGs. Hence the MGs is the building blocks of smart distribution networks. There are many technical, economic and social reason for MGs implementation. One of the main advantages of MGs is the ability to encounter with abnormal conditions in the network such as occurrence of natural disasters with island operation capability. Based on the above discussion, the problem of optimal planning of distribution network based-on MGs is an interesting topic. In this chapter the optimal MG-based smart distribution grid planning problem is formulated and tested on a planning area. While the natural disasters are low probability and high impact phenomena, there are not enough historical data to extract an accurate component failure model. In this chapter the initial geographical area of MGs is supposed as input data in a large scale Greenfield study area and based on the resiliency constraints and index, the optimal configuration of total distribution network including MGs is determined. The distribution network configuration is planned such that all MGs meet the predefined requirement based on definition and supply the predefined critical loads within each MGs. In this work the optimal size and site of network elements and its configuration is determined by a multi-objective optimization algorithm. The effect of the natural disasters on resilient MG-based distribution network planning, the geographical data for disasters is modelled to give a geographical map that joins the spatial risk index with distribution network component location. The main goal of this work is to propose a framework for optimal MG-based resilient distribution networks.