Innovative Multi-Layered Architecture for Heterogeneous Automation and Monitoring Systems: Application Case of a Photovoltaic Smart Microgrid

Isaías González, Antonio José Calderón and José María Portalo
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Isaías González: Department of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Antonio José Calderón: Department of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
José María Portalo: Department of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: Intelligent energy facilities, e.g., smart grids and microgrids are the evolution of traditional energy grids through digital transformation. These modern paradigms are expected to foster the utilization of renewable energies, sustainable development, and resilience of the power grid. A barrier found when deploying experimental smart grids and microgrids consists of handling the heterogeneity of the required hardware and software components as well as the available commercial equipment. Despite the fact that there is various architecture proposed in previous literature, it commonly lacks experimental validation, specification of involved equipment concerning industrial/proprietary or open-source nature, and concretization of communication protocols. To overcome such drawbacks, this paper proposes an innovative multi-layered architecture to deploy heterogeneous automation and monitoring systems for microgrids. The architecture is structured into six functional layers to organize the hardware and software equipment in an integrated manner. The open protocol Modbus TCP is chosen to harmonize communications, enabling the interconnection of equipment from industrial and energy scopes, indeed of open-source nature. An experimental photovoltaic-based smart microgrid is reported as the application case to demonstrate the suitability and validity of the proposal.

Keywords: microgrid; photovoltaic; multi-layered architecture; Modbus TCP; communication network; monitoring; open-source; automation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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