Microgrid managers face a big challenge: ensuring the smooth flow of electricity between intermittent energy sources (such as wind, solar and hydro), storage systems and energy users. WISE researchers want to help. John Simpson-Porco, Mehrdad Kazerani and their Chilean colleagues have developed a distributed control system that overcomes many of the weaknesses of existing models.

Distributed control systems serve as automated checkpoints and traffic police that help regulate frequency, manage…