An overview of control architecture for next generation smart grids

Smart grids are becoming practical nowadays with their integrated, complex and communicative architecture. The addition of renewable energy sources, control automation, information and communication technologies (ICT), advanced monitoring and protection and smart metering has further increased the complexity. Next generation smart grid will act as an interactive energy web with multi-way communication, multi-directional power flow, distributed intelligence including control, stability and optimization. To enable this type of architecture, the performance constraints in control design such as power fluctuations, voltage unbalance, frequency mismatch, transition management and fault handling need to be addressed. This intelligent network must be scalable and flexible under variable operating conditions for efficient, reliable, and economic operation. An overview of the control architecture for next generation smart grids is provided in this paper.