A Low-Cost Scaled Renewable Microgrid: Modelling, Instrumentation and Validation

In this note, we present the thorough development of a low-cost renewable microgrid for control validation and educational purposes. The system is composed of scaled components (a wind turbine, a photovoltaic cell, an electrolyser, a hydrogen tank, a fuel cell, and emulated battery) and coordinated by simple embedded development boards. We discuss modelling, instrumentation and identification aspects related to each one of the involved subsystems, which are locally controlled by dedicated embedded setups. Local Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) descriptions are used to handle the involved nonlinearity. The communication protocols between the schemes are also detailed. Moreover, a supervisory control-oriented model for energy management is developed, and corresponding experimental validation results presented. The developed microgrid kit serves for education (classroom activities) and outreach actions (scientific disclosure) on control applications for renewable energy systems.