Design of an Energy Management System for Critical Microgrid Applications

Microgrids have proven to be a viable solution for integrating renewable sources in power systems, especially in isolated locations where the utility grid is absent. Besides improving reliability and resilience in electrical grids, microgrids also contribute reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite their advantages, their technical challenges include protection in a system with bidirectional energy flow and effective energy management during islanded mode. This paper introduces a critical microgrid deployed at the Alcântara Launch Center in Brazil. Designed for rocket launches, it prioritizes operational safety and employs a system with power quality and optimal power balance functions. The key contributions of this work are the control logics of the Energy Management System for monitoring and controlling the critical facility, especially for the customized mode of rocket launches. Additionally, it presents the communication network structure designed to ensure the continuous operation of the microgrid despite failures issues in the communication network or system components.