Design and Field Implementation of a Multi-Agent System for Voltage Regulation Using Smart Inverters and Data Distribution Service (DDS)

This paper proposes a multi-agent scheme to regulate voltage in smart distribution grids using smart inverters and Data Distribution Service (DDS). DDS is an Internet of Things (IoT) based communication framework that is well suited to handle the demanding requirements of inter-agent communication within smart grid applications, including: asynchronous and low-latency messaging, high scalability, and seamless interoperability. Coupling smart inverters with DDS results in a fully distributed control and communication platform that can significantly increase the penetration of distributed and renewable energy resources in distribution networks. The proposed multi-agent scheme is tested at a real-world microgrid to show its ability to mitigate voltage regulation challenges using both local and coordinated control.