DMI MICROGRIDS

What is the Digital Microgrid? 


DYNAMIC SCALABLE MICROGRIDS

Just as personal computers, cellphones, and the
internet replaced centralized “big iron” with networks of
simple reproducible hardware and software, electric
power is being revolutionized by networks of distributed
electric power generation. The old economies of scale
of large centralized power plants have vanished with
inexpensive solar+storage.

A microgrid is defined by the U.S. Department of Energy

as “A group of interconnected loads and distributed
energy resources (DER) with clearly defined electrical
boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with
respect to the grid [and can] connect and disconnect
from the grid to enable it to operate in both grid-
connected or island mode.” More simply, a microgrid is
a self-contained local power distribution system serving
a small geographic area such as a hospital, small town,
hotel or university campus.
The term “nanogrid” is also used to define a small microgrid,
typically serving a single building. More recently, market
analysts have defined the nanogrid as “100 kW for grid-tied
systems and 5 kW for remote systems not interconnected with
a utility grid.”
AC OR DC?
Most of the world’s home appliances and office equipment use
alternating current (AC) at 100 to 240 volts. Since the “Electric
Wars” of Westinghouse and Edison in the late 19th century, AC
has been the prevailing power distribution throughout the
world. In spite of numerous advantages, 100 years ago, DC
lost out because there was no easy way to convert DC to the
higher voltages needed to transmit power long distances. AC
won with the invention of the transformer in 1839. It was not
until the 1980’s that electronic components became available
that could challenge AC for high voltage power distribution.
developed nations. The grid, by its very nature, is somewhat
monolithic because it is centralized and synchronized.
Disruptions can become widespread leading to the thousands
of “grid outages” that happen every year as the result of
weather events or other disruptions.
THE DIGITAL MICROGRID
The Digital Microgrid Initiative designs and builds components
for creating nanogrids and microgrids. These use DC power
for local power distribution and can connect to larger networks
of microgrids or to the AC electric grid. One significant
advantage of interconnecting DC microgrids with DC “bridges”
is that the larger electric power network can become immune
from local disruptions and outages.
Also, the larger network of microgrids can become an
exchange of independent buying and selling of power.
Transactions to share power generation can be settled by
modern electronic solutions such as blockchain ledgers.

WHAT IS THE GRID?
The electric grid is a network of synchronized AC power
providers and consumers connected by transmission and
distribution lines, the high tension (115kV or more) power lines
traveling from power plants to the utility poles throughout
DECENTRALIZED OPERATION
A guiding principle for resilience and efficiency in large
networks such as the internet has been decentralization of
decision making. DMI has developed an architecture which
provides autonomous decision making at the very lowest levels
in a nanogrid to larger megawatt level microgrids.

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DMI 8kW 380Vdc Battery Charger/Bus Controller © 2017 The Digital Microgrid Initiative Corporation web: http://www.digitalmicrogrid.com
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" Revision 1.0 July, 24, 2017 All Rights Reserved. Subject To Change Without Notice ph: (800) 660-1320 email: info@digitalmicrogrid.com
DMI provides two levels of autonomous decision-making. The
nanogrid level is defined as components with a common DC
power interconnect of less than one megawatt. This would
generally be a single building. Within the nanogrid,
autonomous operation is controlled by defined “voltage
bands”. Goal-oriented reflex agent software makes decisions
at a very local level for a single component such as a battery
bank, or solar array.
Generators, power “bridges” to other DC microgrids, and AC
grid connections require a higher level of decision making.
These components negotiate with their counterparts using
internet-like routing protocols. “Utility agent” software barters
for the supply or distribution of power with pricing determined
by the cost of fuel, weather conditions, and many other local
factors.
In all cases, DMI MicrogridLink hardware provides the local
intelligent agent decision making with embedded “personality
modules” and links to other MicrogridLinks and to the internet
using Bluetooth BLE, MODbus, CANbus and other
communication protocols.
NANOGRID OPERATION
In the following operational description there are references to
V₁ through V₄. The default settings for the values are
predefined to avoid a hysteresis loop on the bus. This could
happen, for example, when a large load on an inverter drops
the bus voltage causing batteries to switch from charge to
discharge and also turn on the rectifier to provide
supplementary power. This all causes an increase in the
voltage on the bus which reverses the condition and the
rectifier shuts off and the battery switches from discharge to
charge, then this all happens again. A similar phenomenon
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DMI 8kW 380Vdc Battery Charger/Bus Controller © 2017 The Digital Microgrid Initiative Corporation
Page " 2 of 2
" Revision 1.0 July, 24, 2017 All Rights Reserved. Subject To Change Without Notice
happens with many off-grid inverters and lead-acid batteries
when a large load is turned on causing a voltage drop, causing
a current increase as the inverter demands more power,
causing a further battery voltage drop, until the inverter shuts
down (or a breaker resets).
Power charging sources such as a generator, grid rectifier, or
solar DC-DC boost converters provide a voltage between V₃
and V₄. Power providers which power loads but should not be
used for battery charging provide a voltage between V₀ and V₁
to prevent cross charging among batteries. Power at any
voltage between V₀ and V₄ will power loads on the bus such as
inverters or a microgrid bridge. Battery output is limited to V₁
so that the battery output will never be at a high enough
voltage to charge another battery. V₁ to V₂ serves as a guard
band. Other bidirectional source/sinks may provide voltage at
any voltage between V₀ and V₄ if their control is determined by
policy rather than voltage bands.
MICROGRID OPERATION
Microgrid power exchange is always controlled by a DC-DC
converter controlled by a MicrogridLink (μGridLink) controller.
The power exchange is negotiated with independent supply
and demand decisions. For example, if a microgrid has limited
energy storage, it might wish to supplement it’s power at night.
It broadcasts a request for power after examining
advertisements from various power sources. Supposing, for
example, that a microgrid two “hops” away has access to
cheap grid power, the μGridLink to this second drop might
advertise that it has access to cheap power and may even
mark up the price to account for transport.
All such energy transactions are recorded in a blockchain
ledger (Ethereum) and settled accordingly.
web: http://www.digitalmicrogrid.com
ph: (800) 660-1320 email: info@digitalmicrogrid.com