Assessing Topology Efficiency in Residential Microgrids

Abstract

While the number of building integrated renewable generation and battery systems is increasing, still a significant portion of the residential loads are AC. This makes for a hybrid system with both AC and DC components, which requires the installation of interface converters in multiple points of the building’s electricity distribution.The aim of this study is to discuss the implementation of a DC Microgrid in a large-scale residential building, with a specific focus on the distribution topology and placement of the current converters. We offer an overview of different distribution topologies for high-rise buildings and discuss the development of a generic model to allow the simulation of the most effective topology for efficiency and operation. The simulations performed with this model found the best topology for a DC Microgrid to be an Individual Floor Supply with interfaces connected per floor.