A review of microgrid development in the United States – A decade of progress on policies, demonstrations, controls, and software tools

Microgrids have become increasingly popular in the United States. Supported by favorable federal and local policies, microgrid projects can provide greater energy stability and resilience within a project site or community. This paper reviews major federal, state, and utility-level policies driving microgrid development in the United States. Representative U.S. demonstration projects are selected and their technical characteristics and non-technical features are introduced. The paper discusses trends in the technology development of microgrid systems as well as microgrid control methods and interactions within the electricity market. Software tools for microgrid design, planning, and performance analysis are illustrated with each tool's core capability. Finally, the paper summarizes the successes and lessons learned during the recent expansion of the U.S. microgrid industry that may serve as a reference for other countries developing their own microgrid industries

Resilient Load Restoration in Microgrids Considering Mobile Energy Storage Fleets: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach

Mobile energy storage systems (MESSs) provide mobility and flexibility to enhance distribution system resilience. The paper proposes a Markov decision process (MDP) formulation for an integrated service restoration strategy that coordinates the scheduling of MESSs and resource dispatching of microgrids. The uncertainties in load consumption are taken into account. The deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm is utilized to solve the MDP for optimal scheduling. Specifically, the twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3) is applied to train the deep Q-network and policy network, then the well trained policy can be deployed in on-line manner to perform multiple actions simultaneously. The proposed model is demonstrated on an integrated test system with three microgrids connected by Sioux Falls transportation network. The simulation results indicate that mobile and stationary energy resources can be well coordinated to improve system resilience.Comment: Submitted to 2020 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meetin

Resilience assessment and planning in power distribution systems:Past and future considerations

Over the past decade, extreme weather events have significantly increased worldwide, leading to widespread power outages and blackouts. As these threats continue to challenge power distribution systems, the importance of mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events has become paramount. Consequently, resilience has become crucial for designing and operating power distribution systems. This work comprehensively explores the current landscape of resilience evaluation and metrics within the power distribution system domain, reviewing existing methods and identifying key attributes that define effective resilience metrics. The challenges encountered during the formulation, development, and calculation of these metrics are also addressed. Additionally, this review acknowledges the intricate interdependencies between power distribution systems and critical infrastructures, including information and communication technology, transportation, water distribution, and natural gas networks. It is important to understand these interdependencies and their impact on power distribution system resilience. Moreover, this work provides an in-depth analysis of existing research on planning solutions to enhance distribution system resilience and support power distribution system operators and planners in developing effective mitigation strategies. These strategies are crucial for minimizing the adverse impacts of extreme weather events and fostering overall resilience within power distribution systems.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, submitted for review to Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review

Advancements in Enhancing Resilience of Electrical Distribution Systems: A Review on Frameworks, Metrics, and Technological Innovations

This comprehensive review paper explores power system resilience, emphasizing its evolution, comparison with reliability, and conducting a thorough analysis of the definition and characteristics of resilience. The paper presents the resilience frameworks and the application of quantitative power system resilience metrics to assess and quantify resilience. Additionally, it investigates the relevance of complex network theory in the context of power system resilience. An integral part of this review involves examining the incorporation of data-driven techniques in enhancing power system resilience. This includes the role of data-driven methods in enhancing power system resilience and predictive analytics. Further, the paper explores the recent techniques employed for resilience enhancement, which includes planning and operational techniques. Also, a detailed explanation of microgrid (MG) deployment, renewable energy integration, and peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading in fortifying power systems against disruptions is provided. An analysis of existing research gaps and challenges is discussed for future directions toward improvements in power system resilience. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of power system resilience is provided, which helps in improving the ability of distribution systems to withstand and recover from extreme events and disruptions