Enhancing Microgrids’ Planning: A Decision Support System to Address Unsolved Challenges in Existing Software

The increasing prevalence of extreme weather events and grid disruptions have amplified the need for resiliency in energy systems. Microgrid emerges as a pivotal solution for such a need. While existing tools such as HOMER, Xendee, REopt, and Microgrid Planner offer robust frameworks for microgrid design and optimization, they often fall short in addressing complex resiliency challenges like evaluation of resiliency beyond regular cost. This paper introduces a novel Microgrid Decision Support System (DSS) designed to bridge the gap, focusing on supporting choices by means of various metrics. The tool incorporates multi-criteria decision-making framework to prioritize solutions that balance resiliency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, it is designed to address unsolved parts in existing tools, such as quantifying the value of distribute energy storage in enhancing resiliency. By addressing these unsolved challenges, this tool not only extends the capability of existing software but also provides insights for stakeholders for policymaking and community planning. This work underscore the importance of prioritizing resiliency in microgrid design, and lays the foundation for potentially increasing the choice of suitable indicators.