Optimal Operation of PV-Diesel MicroGrid with Multiple Diesel Generators under Grid Blackouts

This paper addresses the optimal operation problem of a PV-diesel microgrid considering grid blackouts, which is a usual case of discontinuous power supply in developing countries. The model of a grid-connected PV-diesel microgrid is enhanced, and new practical constraints are added. In addition, a new mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is formulated to optimize the power flow in the microgrid for covering the load while minimizing the power consumption cost as well as maximizing the dispatched power from the PV-array. To demonstrate the applicability of the developed model and the optimal operation strategy, a comparison between different system configurations is made. The results show that the proposed microgrid can reduce the dispatched power cost while decreasing the power curtailment from the PV-array. Moreover, installing multiple diesel generators (DGs) can significantly reduce the fuel consumption by the DGs in comparison to a single DG in the PV-diesel microgrid.