Enhancing Inverter-based AC Microgrid Communication using Two-frequency Shift Keying (2FSK) Method

Future grid will host many ac, dc and hybrid microgrids interconnected together. These microgrids feature many intermittent inverter-based distributed energy resources such as wind turbines, solar farms, EV charging fleets and energy storage systems (ESS). The operation of such system requires strong communication and robust control for a resilient and reliable grid. This paper presents a novel communication scheme for inverter-based ac microgrids using the high switching frequency of the grid-forming inverters (GFI). The proposed scheme consists of multiple GFIs with decentralized control. Total load demand information measured locally is broadcasted via the power lines by the master inverter unit using frequency shift keying modulation (FSK) technique. The proposed communication of the microgrid system was verified using Matlab/Simulink.