This paper presents an applied Internet of Things (IoT) architecture for smart microgrids. Smart microgrids use IoT-enabling technologies conjointly with power system equipment to deliver additional services on top of the basic supply of electricity to local networks that operate in parallel with the regional grid or autonomously. Such ancillary services offered by the microgrid—e.g., local balancing, internal congestion management, and aggregation to support market or grid operator activities—can create value for its end-users and other stakeholders. A systems engineering design approach is used to apply two reference architectures from different domains (power systems and IoT) to create a novel, high-level framework for the design of information and communication technologies systems for smart microgrids. The framework covers the device layer, connectivity system, data processing and storage layers, and business applications. The IoT architecture for smart microgrids is applied to a case study of a pilot project in an industrial and commercial area in The Netherlands.

In today's distribution grids the number of distributed generation (DG) units is increasing rapidly. Combined heat and power (CHP) plants and wind turbines are most often installed. Integration of these DG units into the distribution grid leads to planning as well as operational challenges. Based on the experience of a Dutch distribution system operators (DSO), this paper addresses several possibilities to handle grid planning issues. Effects on voltage control, grid protection, and fault levels are investigated and described. These aspects are illustrated with the aid of simulations on an existing distribution grid. It is demonstrated that in compact distribution grids voltage control problems and blinding of protection are not likely to occur and that false tripping and fault level have to be considered carefully.