Hierarchical Network Management of Industrial DC-Microgrids

The energy transition is a necessary component of the sustainable transformation of society. To achieve the Paris Climate Agreement´s goals, on one hand new, more energy-efficient approaches must be applied in industrial production. On the other hand, production must profit from these approaches inexpensively and reliably. Concerning the electrical energy supply of factories, direct current (DC) microgrids represent an efficient compromise for these often conflicting requirements. To effectively integrate the DC-microgrids in industrial environment, a standard framework for their management is identified. The aim of this paper is to define a hierarchical structure of the network management of industrial DC-microgrids, from the single device control to the large production facility scale, and discuss the functions of each management level. These functions are further prioritized and described in sequence diagrams. In the end, examples of practical applications of this structure are introduced.