Microgrids for energy access in remote and islanded communities under natural disasters – Context of Lombok Island Indonesia

Abstract

Natural disasters (NDs) including earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and other high-impact natural phenomena cause significant power outages that interrupt human activity and industrial output. Natural disaster mitigation in the energy sector requires sophisticated control strategies, operations, and vulnerabilities. In literature, different Microgrids (MGs) configurations are adapted in such scenarios which can endure low-probability and high-impact (LPHI) occurrences because of their compact size, manageable loads, and constrained bounds. Ad hoc MGs that are low-power, transportable, and containerized can be used in emergencies by supplying electricity for critical loads. This paper includes an overview of the history of power system resilience, resilience-enhancing techniques, and MGs as a resilience resource. This paper presents a case study of the resiliency issue of the remote MG of Lombok Island in Indonesia and then proposes potential technical solutions to cope with natural disasters. Finally, concludes by identifying gaps in the current research literature and suggesting future avenues for enhancing the methods focused on resilience-oriented operations to strengthen the resilience of MGs.