Fueled by the evolution into the smart grid paradigm, ESTHER’s goal is to build analysis and design methods for modern power systems (i.e. MicroGrids) in the framework of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), and to identify the best strategies for operating at the interconnections among the different levels of the hierarchical control pyramid.
To overcome the limitations due to plug&play scenarios of renewable Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS), new scalable and modulable control systems are targeted for considering the multi-level and multi-scale nature of power systems. The development of rigorous analytical theories founded on advanced mathematics is coupled with the development of dedicated simple algorithms that allow for a rapid deployment in numerical and experimental validation.
The project is split in three phases/tasks:
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The modeling of MicroGrids’ basic components, specifications and their interactions via platform-based design relying on the properties leveraged by contract theory;
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The design of multi-level control methods that quantify the certificates of stability and subsequently the safe operating regions for MicroGrids;
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The test of the developed controllers in real MicroGrids via Hardware-in-the-loop experiments.
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