Grid of Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids: A New Paradigm for Smart City of Tomorrow

This paper portrays the concept of Grid of Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids, as a new paradigm for smart cities of future. The focus is on the challenges faced and advantages expected in the seemingly inevitable shift from the existing traditional supply-demand model (characterized by centralized remote bulk power generation, long transmission lines, unidirectional power flow at distribution level from the producer (grid) to consumer (customer), irresponsive loads, separate energy carriers, and low penetration of renewable energy sources) to the new pattern (characterized by distributed generation close to the point of use, bidirectional power flow in distribution feeders, controllable/responsive loads such as plugin electric vehicle chargers, thermal loads and air conditioning systems, integrated energy carriers, and very high penetration of renewable energy sources). The energy system architecture envisioned in this paper is applicable to both existing cities and new cities still in planning stage, and is expected to result in more customer control, higher reliability and sustainability, higher power quality and efficiency, cleaner environment and lower energy cost.