An ADMM-based Distributed Energy Management System for Microgrids

The interest in microgrids has increased at a rapid pace due to their flexibility, reliability, efficiency, and the possibility of the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into the power system. An adequate operation of a microgrid is based on optimal management of the DERs. The energy management of a microgrid is generally based on centralized control, in which a central coordinator manages the energy exchanged between the microgrid and the power system. Nevertheless, in the last few years, distributed control methods for energy management (DEMS) have garnered attention. This paper proposes a distributed energy management strategy for a microgrid, in which the DERs are optimally coordinated, aiming to minimize operational costs. Initially, a mathematical programming model based on centralized control for the management of DERs is presented. Then, the model is distributed using the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. The proposed case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the ADMM to achieve an optimal solution in a DEMS.