Load-Leveling Trainer for Demand Side Management on a 45kW Cyber-Physical Microgrid

Improving the reliability and efficiency of microgrids to handle diverse load types will lead to more dependable electrical grids in small communities, reduce costs for both consumers and suppliers, and reduce carbon emissions. Better demand side management (DSM) has been proposed as a solution for creating more efficient m icrogrids a swell as limiting the need for increases in power generation capacity and transmission. This paper proposes a hardware implementation of DSM in an actual microgrid system to support grid needs. An algorithm for achieving DSM through load-leveling at the micro-level is presented and implemented on a physical microgrid and evaluated in order to create a Load-Leveling Trainer. A simulated case study, based on the electrical load needs of small communities in Bangladesh, is reviewed to prove that the Load-Leveling Trainer can be used to better balance electrical load demands.