Real-time Energy Management System for Standalone and Grid-connected Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid

Hybrid microgrids face significant energy management challenges due to the intermittency of renewable sources and dynamic load variations. This work presents a novel Regionalized and Integrated Energy Management System (RIEMS) for hybrid AC/DC microgrids that combines autonomous zonal control with coordinated inter-zone power sharing. Unlike conventional centralized EMS, which relies on a single control point, or fully decentralized EMS, which operates in isolation or with limited coordination leading to energy imbalances and underutilization of resources. RIEMS enables faster response, higher reliability, and improved renewable utilization through real-time regional coordination. Beyond the traditional focus on source-side control of distributed energy resources (DERs), the proposed system incorporates demand-side management (DSM) to actively adjust consumption based on load priority, demand, and available generation. A rule-based optimal voltage control algorithm regulates the unified DC bus, ensuring precise power allocation among PV arrays, batteries, and fuel cells. The proposed EMS, modeled in MATLAB/Simulink and validated on an experimental hybrid AC/DC microgrid prototype, demonstrates robust voltage regulation, accurate power sharing, and continuous supply reliability under both fixed and variable AC/DC load conditions, without performance degradation.