Multi-Level Internet of Things Communication Strategy for Microgrids Smart Network

Microgrids are one of the main drivers in achieving sustainable energy management in the context of Smart Cities and Smart Regions. In this way, multiple energy sources are employed and overall system performance is given by adequate information handling in terms of energy consumption requirements as well as user behavior profiles. This paper introduces a framework for a Wireless mesh communication, monitoring, and distributed energy management for domestic Microgrids. A communication scheme based on a combination of sensors which describe energy consumption profiles (i.e., current probes, power consumption level at different loads), environmental (temperature, humidity and illumination level) as well as user behavior profiles (presence sensor detectors) is employed in order to provide an interactive scenario in terms of management of multiple energy sources. Practical tests have been performed by using a XBee ZigBee network in a meshed configuration connected to an experimental microgrid implemented at UPNA. The system has been implemented in order to provide cloud enabled data gathering, sending the required information via web services to a private cloud. These initial results are being scaled with the aim of providing a multi-microgrid communication and control scheme.