Microgrid Development Using Model-Based Design

Microgrids are recognized as highly efficient and economical ways to promote distributed resources, energy storage devices, advanced electronic controls, loads and to integrate smart grid technologies. As microgrids and associated technologies advance in popularity and complexity, it becomes ever more important to institute robust design methods to control these systems. Advances in communication, controls, power electronics, protection, and other intelligent techniques must also be accounted for. Model-based design (MBD) methodology developed for electric vehicle and industrial controls accounts for these factors as well as facilitates system verification, locates and correct errors, and enables reuse of developed designs. Our work described in this paper demonstrates how model-based design may be applied to microgrids to reap the same benefits as widely received in vehicle and industrial production. We present a microgrid design case in which the MBD approach is leverage for rapid development and verification.