Plug-in and plug-out dispatch optimization in microgrid clusters based on flexible communication

With large-scale development of distributed generation (DG) and its potential role in microgrids, the microgrid cluster (MGC) becomes a useful control model to assist the integration of DG. Considering that microgrids in a MGC, power dispatch optimization in a MGC is difficult to achieve. In this paper, a hybrid interactive communication optimization solution (HICOS) is suggested based on flexible communication, which could be used to solve plug-in or plug-out operation states of microgrids in MGC power dispatch optimization. HICOS consists of a hierarchical architecture: the upper layer uses distributed control among multiple microgrids, with no central controller for the MGC, and the lower layer uses a central controller for each microgrid. Based on flexible communication links among microgrids, the optimal iterative information are exchanged among microgrids, thus HICOS would gradually converge to the global optimal solution. While some microgrids plug-in or plug-out, communication links will be changed, so as to unsuccessfully reach optimal solution. Differing from changeless communication links in traditional communication networks, HICOS redefines the topology of flexible communication links to meet the requirement to reach the global optimal solutions. Simulation studies show that HICOS could effectively reach the global optimal dispatch solution with non-MGC center. Especially, facing to microgrids plug-in or plug-out states, HICOS would also reach the global optimal solution based on refined communication link topology.