Powerline communication and demand side management for microgrids

Thesis

Motivation: The greatest challenge for microgrid deployment is making energy affordable, especially in remote low-income communities. This thesis answers the following research question:

Can digital communication reduce the price of electricity for an islanded low voltage microgrid and if so, can broadband powerline communications meet microgrid control requirements?

Approach: This study conducts a cost-benefit analysis of the addition of a field area network to a microgrid. Broadband powerline communication is selected as a candidate technology and tested on various microgrid networks to determine its suitability.

Results: The main contributions of this study are:

A demand-side management strategy and unsubsidised cost reflective tariff structure for rural microgrids in the developing world.

A cost-benefit analysis that shows the addition of a low bit rate, medium latency communication system (1 kbps per customer, 100 ms) may reduce the levelized cost of energy by 32%.

A performance evaluation of broadband HomePlug powerline communications for microgrids which shows the Homeplug AV2 has a range of 600 m and functions well on complex radial distribution networks.

Conclusion: Investment in a minimally capable communication system has significant economic benefit to both customer and utility by enabling smart grid services such as automatic meter reading and demand side management. Since communication technologies share similar bit rate and latency capabilities and are similarly priced, the technology choice is driven more by microgrid geography, complexity, availability and reliability. Powerline communications require no additional cable, but boast reliability similar to dedicated cable solutions. The HomePlug AV meets bit rate and latency requirements, is affordable, reliable, simple and widely available around the world. This study concludes it is a solid candidate for low voltage islanded microgrids.

The material presented in this thesis has been published or submitted for publication in an abbreviated format in the following publications:

D. Neal et al, "Demand side energy management and customer behavioral response in a rural islanded microgrid," in IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica, 2020.

D. Neal, D. Rogers and M. McCulloch, "A Techno-Economic Analysis of Communication in Islanded Microgrids," unpublished. Submitted Oct 2023 to Elsevier Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

D. Neal, D. Rogers and M. McCulloch, "Broadband Powerline Communication for Low-Voltage Microgrids," unpublished. Submitted Oct 2023 to IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

Authors: Neal, D

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-xrqqav8b9
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: microgrid; demand-side management; smart grid; powerline communications
• Subjects: Microgrids (Smart power grids); Demand-side management (Electric utilities); power line communications; Smart power grids