DC Local Power Distribution with microgrids and nanogrids

Abstract

Many aspects of our electricity systems are rapidly changing, including the ability to locally generate power with renewable energy sources and integrate local storage. Key factors that led to our current grid architecture may no longer hold in the near future. A new approach to power distribution within buildings is Local Power Distribution (LPD). In LPD individual devices are organized into nanogrids (a single domain of power) with nanogrids networked to each other, to local generation, and to a building-wide microgrid. Nanogrids inherently incorporate DC power for efficiency. This new model for electricity distribution in buildings is implemented with a layered model of power - called Network Power Integration (NPI) - that isolates communication about power from communication for functional purposes.