Nanogrid

Definition:
The concept of a nanogrid is intriguing and relatively fresh. It
was brought about by the requirement to make locally
produced renewable energy "plug-and-play" integrated. A
nanogrid refers to a small microgrid, typically serving a single
building or a single load, is referred to as a nanogrid.
Nanogrids are the building blocks of a microgrid, whereas
microgrids are the building blocks of a smart grid. Because
they are so basic, the technology
Nanogrids encounter fewer technological and regulatory
obstacles and have fewer complex needs than microgrids.

Microgrid made up of multiple nanogrids

Both a nanogrid and a microgrid are self-sufficient power

networks that provide electricity to individuals in particular,
localized areas or communities, making them equivalent
forms of local energy. They have the ability to link to the
main grid or function independently. In the latter case, they
may swiftly island themselves from the main grid if needed
and sell electricity back to the utility when demand is at its
highest.
Components/structure of a nanogrid:
The Figure below depicts the fundamental elements of a
nanogrid, which include the following parts:

Nanogrid block diagram

• Local power production: The ability of a nanogrid to more

effectively utilise distributed generation of residential size is
one of its key characteristics. A range of non-renewable
and/or renewable energy sources can be integrated with
these structures. Solar and wind energy are examples of
renewable energy sources, while non-renewable energy
sources include fuel cells and diesel generators.
• At least one local load: Electrical home appliances that run
on local production are known as local loads, and they
receive their power from the nanogrid. A few instances are
appliances like a television, oven, lights, and water heaters.
• A gateway: The gateway serves as a bidirectional power
link between the national grid, microgrids, and other
nanogrids. This will, if at all feasible, involve communicating
the nanogrid's power needs to other power entities.
Communication might not be feasible in the event of
connecting to the national grid, though. Additionally, the
gateway can cut off from outside power sources, enabling
the nanogrid to function in an islanded mode. The gateway
enhances the financial advantage of owning distributed
generation by enabling the nanogrid to buy power from and
sell power to connected power entities.
• Energy storage: Although it is optional in a nanogrid
structure, energy storage is typically included because it
increases stability. A battery bank is the type of energy
storage that is best suited for nanogrids because of its
capacity and residential location.
• Nanogrid Controller: A nanogrid controller is an additional
component that is typically present but not absolutely
necessary.

Nanogrid integration challenges:

1)Hardware Challenges: Here are a few of the hardware
difficulties that come with using the nano grid in smart city
implementations:
Infrastructure Challenges: It is still challenging to make the
current grid intelligent from an infrastructure-specific
standpoint. Numerous difficulties with operation, design, and
maintenance arose for living area infrastructure as well as
grid infrastructure. Smart buildings should be dual-directional
if they automate connected smart appliances within the
structure. For the purpose of gathering data, smart buildings
and grid infrastructure should communicate.
Generation Challenges: Consumers can use renewable
energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, to
generate power at the distribution level. The difficulties here
are that in order to minimize transmission losses, the
location of alternative source power generation should be
close to the consumer. Installing energy storage devices, such
as batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, etc., is required in
order to avoid using time-dependent alternative sources. PCC
(Point of Common Coupling) is necessary to couple local
power generation to the grid and aids in determining
whether the nano grid should function in grid-connected
mode or islanded mode.

Converters design Challenges: The nano grid can run on both

DC and AC power. Numerous power conversion devices are
employed in the nano grid according to the various kinds of
appliances. Reactive components should be added in order to
offset the losses caused by the converter's switching
components. so that variations brought on by an abrupt rise
in DC/AC can be readily managed. In addition, MPPT
converters are required for increased efficiency in renewable
energy-based power generation, and charge controllers are
used to regulate the charging and discharging of energy
storage devices. A grid-connected nanogrid adds DC to the
grid while removing AC from it.
Thus, the main difficulty in this situation is designing a bi-
directional converter with multiple port topologies that
operates efficiently.
Automation Challenges: A few examples of smart gadgets
include water-saving faucet timers for bathrooms,
washrooms, and garden areas. Vue is a gadget that can be
installed inside circuit breakers to monitor the energy usage
throughout the house. Temperature control smart lights with
LAN connectivity can automatically turn on or off based on
the circumstances.
Smart fans with speed control operate in accordance with
the weather. These smart devices make it easy to gather data
on power consumption, but it is still difficult for the
manufacturers to provide at a competitive price.
2)Software Challenges: The following is a list of some of the
software difficulties that arise when smart cities use the nano
grid:
Nano grid Controller: This controller serves as a
communication interface to the grid and facilitates
communication between smart appliances, energy storage
devices, and generators within the house. Modbus, RS485
and other protocols are used in this two-way communication
in order to control the internal devices based on data
received from the utility grid or vice versa. To ensure that all
appliances operate effectively and intelligently in accordance
with the various power demands, the bi-directional converter
(DC-DC) should be connected to the intelligent controller.

Microgrid Controller: The microgrid controller is connected

to every nano grid controller in that specific area. Voltage
regulation of the DC bus can be achieved in a bidirectional
converter (DC-DC) by connecting LANs. Based on data
collected from the nano grid controller, this controller
determines what power to share or sell to the central grid.
The converter then determines whether to operate in voltage
regulation mode or current regulation mode.
Power Management: The most difficult aspect of
implementing a nano grid is developing power management
software. Researchers from many nations have put forth a
number of strategies and are still working to develop
effective software for the microgrid controller and cloud
communication. The task of managing power should fall to
the software, which should function both with and without a
manual assistant. The data that is received from the
controller determines the power supply. For instance, the
nano grid will notify the controller if its battery bank runs
completely empty. The controller notifies the cloud of this
message and takes appropriate action. This power
management software is primarily responsible for the nano
grid's intelligent power flow.
Mobile Application: Up until now, various software at various
nano grid levels have been proposed; in the end, these
should connect to the mobile app, which brings the goal of
smart power completion. Prosumers have the ability to buy
or sell power based on current and future demand, which
can only be determined via this mobile application platform.
The easily navigable software can also be used to manage
power consumption, forecast demand, and make bill
payments and settlements to or from the central grid. A
notification from a mobile app can also help identify any
power theft or security issues in advance.

Types and models of Nanogrids: The argument over

direct current (DC) versus alternating current (AC) power is
not new. As is well known, AC won out for the national grid,
primarily as a result of the grid's early technological
limitations. The advantages of a DC grid are still frequently
discussed, even with the growing body of research on the
advantages of distributed generation, where the supply and
storage are frequently DC. Another reason for the frequent
mention of this topic in microgrid and nanogrid literature is
the increased efficiency in DC power distribution.
Source DC. While the type of resource used to generate
power can be any renewable or non-renewable resource,
some are more practical than others (for example, hydro is
not commonly used in nanogrids because it requires access
to a body of water, which is not present in most residential or
commercial properties). Commonly used resources include
photovoltaic modules (PV) for solar energy, small-scale wind
turbines (SSWT), which produce DC when the AC frequency
varies but can also generate AC, and battery storage, which
could eventually include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
(PHEVs). The literature on nanogrids also mentions fuel cells
and diesel generators, but less frequently than it does with
solar power, batteries, and SSWT.
DC-DC converter source. A circuit known as a DC-DC
converter steps an input voltage up or down based on the
desired output voltage. Several purposes can be served by
the source DC-DC converter:

– Interface with multiple sources. A hybrid system might

have a PV array, SSWT, and storage providing power to the
nanogrid at the same time. Nanogrids can have multiple
sources of power at any given time. Every source has unique
ways of operating. A DCDC converter is needed for each of
the sources in order to integrate them into the nanogrid. The
converter guarantees protection and supply regulation.
The bus voltage. The source voltage can also be raised to a
DC bus voltage level of 380V using the Source DC-DC
converter. The intermediate dc voltage level of 380V is now
considered standard in the industry [128]. The voltage can
then be rectified in the case of the AC topology. An additional
benefit of the DC bus voltage is that it makes nanogrid
control easier to understand; this is covered in the chapter
on nanogrid control.
Tracking the Maximum Power Point. The PV and SSWT
exhibit nonlinear behaviour. The maximum power output can
only be guaranteed at one point of operation under
particular environmental conditions. This maximum power
point is dynamic, and it can be tracked by using In order to
accomplish this, the source DC-DC converter is controlled by
altering its duty cycle, essentially providing the source with a
variable load. By generating the optimal load for the given
conditions, the source is compelled to run at maximum
power.
Since the source voltage usually needs to be stepped up, the
source DC-DC converter is typically of the boost or buck
boost variety. These converters have an efficiency of over
85%, and in certain circumstances, they can reach the high
nineties (%) g sensors to monitor how the renewable source
and surrounding conditions behave.
DC nanogrid .
The load is located at the opposite end of the power chain
from the DC source. The gateway needs AC power, and the
load has a DC-DC converter to interface with the DC bus. The
following are the conversions:
• DC-DC Converter Load. To step down the bus voltage to a
device (load) level, utilize this DC-DC converter. An external
DC-DC converter, such as a buck converter, handles the
conversion for the DC nanogrid. The buck has an efficiency of
more than 80% (and in some cases, more than 90%), just like
the boost converter. The favoured voltage levels for this
stage are 24 V or 48 V which is the standard telecom voltage.
Most existing DC loads are designed to run either
at 12 V, 24 V or 48V. The range of DC loads available to
purchase, in
comparison to AC loads, is still extremely limited
Bi-directional AC-DC converter. To connect the local
nanogrid to the national grid or other power sources, a
bidirectional converter is required [183, 184]. Power must be
converted from AC to DC and vice versa as it moves between
the grid and the nanogrid, which run on DC voltage and AC
voltage, respectively. The nanogrid will sell any excess power
it generates to the grid (DC-AC), which is why a bidirectional
converter is necessary [185]. The nanogrid will have to buy
power from the grid (AC-DC) if the load requirements exceed
local production. If properly designed, a bi-directional AC-DC
converter should have an efficiency of no less than 80%; well-
designed converters can achieve efficiencies of up to 95%.
 Basic block diagram of DC nanogrid

AC nanogrid.
In contrast to the DC nanogrid, the AC nanogrid undergoes
extra conversions to guarantee that the load receives the
appropriate power. The efficiency of the AC nanogrid is lost
during these extra conversions, which happen with:
AC-DC Conversion. The DC-AC converter converts the DC
voltage from the source converter to 230 V AC (or 120 V AC,
depending on the origin), which is suitable for most
consumer loads available on the market today. This is also
the voltage level that the national grid provides to a
nanogrid. This means that power can be shared between the
power entities with ease if a converter is used that can
synchronize to the grid's frequency of 50 Hz (or 60 Hz
depending on origin). Technologies such as the inverter allow
for conversion rates to approach 90%.
AC-DC converter load. The device or a power adaptor,
commonly referred to as a wall wart, is where the AC voltage
is subsequently converted to DC. Cell phones and other AC
loads with power draws under 15 W are common examples
of AC loads for which a linear power supply is used to
perform the DC-DC conversion. These devices have an
efficiency range of 20% to 75%. High power draw loads use
switch mode power conversion, which is more effective and
can achieve efficiency levels of 50% to 90%.

Basic block diagram of AC nanogrid

Nanogrid Control Topologies:

A nanogrid's control, which is carried out by a nanogrid
controller, is what allows the system to optimize power
production and consumption and coordinate multiple
sources. It is the "brains" of systems and, when done right,
can improve the nanogrid's efficiency of operation.
There are two types of control in a nanogrid structure:
demand side management (DSM) and supply side
management (SSM). The term "supply" refers to the power
source for the nanogrid, such as photovoltaic modules, small
wind turbines, the grid, etc. The demand is the amount of
electricity used by household appliances like the television
and refrigerator. Furnace, etc.
Extremely dynamic supply and demand frequently shift from
maximum to minimum production or consumption in a single
day. Unfortunately, in an uncontrolled nanogrid system, high
consumption/production times seldom coincide.
Supply/demand side management is a crucial component of
nanogrid control because of this.
Utilizing renewable energy sources and optimizing power
source behavior to best match power production to the
consumption curve are the goals of supply side management
in nanogrids. Demand side management is used to match the
power output of the nanogrid's sources with the optimal
consumption curve of the loads.
SSM and DSM can be implemented using a variety of control
topologies, with varying degrees of success. Supply side
management is implemented using nanogrid control
topologies.The configuration of each topology for supply side
and demand side management, along with the benefits and
drawbacks of each system, are explained below.
•With centralized control, a central controller processes data
from sensors that measure the system's power output and
consumption (as well as, occasionally, other variables like
temperature). The block diagram of the centralised control
topology is displayed in Fig. below, with the power shown in
black and the communication lines in red. Because every
control decision is made from a central location, this
topology has extensive understanding of the dynamics of the
system and can thus put an effective control strategy into
practice. Real-time parameter measurement by the
centralized controller speeds up the system's control
implementation. The fact that this architecture depends on a
high-bandwidth communications line to gather sensor data
and execute control quickly is one of its drawbacks. One
additional drawback of centralizing control to a single
controller is that it increases the system's vulnerability to
failure. The system will be unable to execute control if there
is damage to either the central controller or a
communication line.

• In decentralized control, every local source or load is

sensed independently by a number of control nodes. The
local source and load are then controlled using the data that
the node has collected (as illustrated in Fig. below). This
dependence is eliminated by the fact that decentralized
control does not necessitate a long communication channel,
in contrast to centralised control. This topology is also more
resilient than the centralised control because it has a large
number of independent controllers. As a result, the
decentralized topology is dependable and quick.
Nevertheless, the decentralized scheme has limited utility as
a control topology. The system's nodes are not
communicating with one another, which is the cause of this.
The majority of control techniques depend on the capacity to
compel a power system response to an occurrence that
might only be detected by one node. This can only be put
into practice if there is node-to-node communication, which
it doesn't in this instance.

•hybrid distributed control combines elements of

decentralized and distributed control. The nodes can
communicate with one another, just like in a distributed
topology, to form a coherent control strategy. As illustrated
in Fig. below, the hybrid system aims to enhance the
distributed control topology by eliminating the requirement
for a communication line. It accomplishes this by using the
same DC bus/supply lines that the well-known droop control
uses to communicate between nodes. This increases the
system's reliability because the hybrid distributed control
doesn't depend on a communications link.

• Hybrid central control scheme is derived from the

combination of decentralised and centralised control. This
results in the system depicted in Fig. below, which has a
central controller in communication with decentralised
control nodes. While each node is coordinated by the central
controller, the control nodes carry out source/load level
control. A robust, quick, and more resilient control system is
provided by the hybrid central control. The system is still
susceptible to errors because it depends on communication
lines.
Load frequency control in nanogrid:
the rising price of fuel and climate change. A solution to the
aforementioned problems is the incorporation of Distributed
Generation (DG) sources. Furthermore, contemporary power
systems offer greater dependability and lessen the strain on
power transmission. A microgrid (MG) is a collection of
connected distributed generators (DGs). It has been
suggested that the MG integrate the DGs to the local loads.
Its main purpose is to make it easier for DGs to penetrate,
which will increase the power supply's durability. There may
be a difference in the type of connected load. It could be
considered non-critical or critical.
Nonetheless, the DGs require power converter mechanisms
under all load conditions. As a result, converters and
inverters are designed to link the DGs and MG. An MG can
deliver power quality and reliability by operating in either
islanded or grid-connected mode. When an MG is operated
in grid-connected mode, multiple parallel DGs are needed to
stabilize voltage and frequency, whereas in islanded mode,
the voltage and frequency are fixed by the stiff grid and the
DC/AC inverters are connected in parallel to the utility grid.
The mismatch between the generation and the load can
cause a voltage and frequency deviation (from nominal
values), which can cause the MG to fail completely.
Therefore, in order to achieve this control goal in stand-alone
operation, a strong control strategy must be considered. The
power sharing between two parallel inverters will be
impacted by a sudden load change, and the voltage
amplitude and frequency will deviate from their nominal
values. A secondary controller has been suggested to restore
such deviations in order to prevent this issue. But while
communication must also be established, the secondary
controller violates the distributed power sharing control
principle. This communication will decrease flexibility and
dependability while raising the system's operating costs and
complexity. Furthermore, such a system is not easily
expanded in remote areas.

Nanogrid stability:
Future challenges will include stability analysis of power
systems dominated by power electronics devices. depending
on a nanogrid's and renewable energy system's impedance
representation. A photovoltaic energy conversion module or
a renewable energy source combined with a permanent
magnet generator can make up a renewable energy system.
Thus, the small signal Nyquist test has been used to study the
stability of the common coupling point. Using an OPAL-RT
and a network analyzer, a hardware-in-a-loop test and real-
time simulation of the nanogrid with the renewable source
connected were conducted. The nanogrid impedance and the
output DC side current perturbation were applied to
determine the impedance of the renewable energy system.
The acquired results demonstrate that both systems'
coupling has a stable Nyquist test.

Nanogrid energy management systems:

The Internet of Things, or IoT, has revolutionized a number of
mission-critical system-related fields, such as navigation and
healthcare. We contend that the energy industry has not yet
fully tapped into the potential of IoT. To improve overall
performance, a drastic change from the current paradigm of
mission-critical electric power architectures to fully
orchestrated, IoT-enabled architectures is required. Our
study introduces a new architecture for IoT task
orchestration in nanogrid energy management. Its goal is to
maximize the use of renewable energy sources while
minimizing the use of non-renewable ones. Network
orchestration involves automating the communication
between various components in order to perform a specific
service, so the key to the system's performance is scheduling
the necessary processes within tight timeframes. The
mission-critical systems that require urgent task completion
frequently experience problems with tasks that are due on
time. In order to address this problem, we introduce a task
scheduling algorithm that takes into account the optimal
excess time and effectively completes energy management-
related tasks while taking into account their various types.
Sensors are used in the study to collect data from physical
Internet of Things devices, such as diesel generators (DG),
energy storage systems (ESS), and photovoltaic (PV) systems.
The data set of nanogrid houses is used to assess the
performance of the suggested model. The results showed
that IoT-task orchestration has been essential to the effective
energy management of mission-critical nanogrid systems.
Additionally, the comparison with cutting-edge scheduling
algorithms revealed that the task starvation rate is lowered
to 16% and 12%, respectively.

Nanogrid system implementation possibilities in

Jordan:
There are a number of advantages to implementing nanogrid
systems in Jordan, particularly in terms of addressing energy-
related issues and expanding access to electricity in isolated
or underserved areas. Small-scale, localized energy systems
known as nanogrids can function on their own or be
incorporated into a bigger grid.
I discovered a few research studies about the application of
nanogrid technology in Jordan. A study put forth a smart
nanogrid system that included a 50 kWh battery energy
storage system (BESS) and a 40 kWp photovoltaic (PV)
system. The system was controlled by a central converter
that could handle demand-side management (DSM)2. A
different study described a nanogrid system that powers a
remote Jordanian village using solar and wind energy3.
It appears that Jordan's remote areas could benefit from
sustainable and dependable electricity provided by nanogrid
systems. It is crucial to remember that the installation of
these systems necessitates thorough planning and
consideration of a number of variables, including cost,
location, and technological viability.
Refrences:
1) Nanogrid topology, control and interactions in a
microgrid structure by Daniel Burmester
2) Shinisha Antonysamy et al 2020 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater.
Sci. Eng. 955 012002
3) What is a Nanogrid and How Can It Improve Reliability?
(emergencypreparednesspartnerships.com)
4) E. Vrettos and G. Andersson, “Combined load frequency
control and active distribution network management
with thermostatically controlled loads,” in 2013 IEEE
International Conference on Smart Grid
Communications (SmartGridComm), pp. 247–252, Oct
2013.
5) Stability influence of renewable energy systems:
Connection to DC nanogrids