Real-time metrics for DC microgrids to enhance operational resilience
Researchers Javad Khazaei and Doug Spengel are developing a real-time resilience assessment platform to help power systems recover faster from extreme events. By integrating dynamic resilience metrics into existing SCADA systems, their tool enables operators to visualize grid performance, anticipate risks, and prevent outages before they occur. The team aims to validate the platform in the lab, deploy it on Lehigh’s campus grid, and expand to multiple sites, targeting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7. This innovation aims to redefine how utilities monitor and manage energy infrastructure—making grids smarter, stronger, and more adaptable to the challenges of a changing climate.
Background
Resilience, a measurement of the ability of equipment, networks, and systems to predict, absorb, and quickly recover from extreme events like hurricanes and cyber-attacks, is an evolving idea in power systems.
Several studies have focused on the development of resilience assessment tools for microgrids and power systems in general. However, the existing methodologies predominantly concentrate on high-impact, low-probability events for quantifying resilience and do not support real-time or “short-term” assessment.
Technology Overview
This technology presents a novel approach for enhancing the resilience of DC microgrids through the integration of real-time resilience metrics and Lyapunov-based stability assessment.
By utilizing available measurements from smart meters (i.e., voltage and current readings in electric grids), a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) platform can visualize the resilience of major nodes in the infrastructure ‑ a capability existing platforms do not have.
This would enable operators to optimize energy production and prevent outages, thereby improving the overall resilience of the energy supply and minimizing the downtime for users.
Benefits
- Real-time resilience evaluation
- Integration of Lyapunov-based stability analysis
- Quantitative resilience metrics tailored for DC microgrids
- Enhanced understanding of system stability and resilience interplay
- Effective for naval and critical infrastructure applications
Applications
- Naval microgrid systems
- Energy management for critical infrastructures
- Real-time monitoring and control systems for microgrids
- Design and optimization tools for resilient microgrid infrastructures