A group of researchers led by Hassan 2 University in Morocco has proposed a new methodology to develop and build the so-called multi-bus microgrids, which have a more complex structure compared to conventional standalone microgrids.
“Solar and storage offer several advantages in the multi-microgrid architecture,” the research's corresponding author, Ayoub Chrif, told pv magazine. “Our study demonstrated that integrating solar PV and battery storage in the multi-microgrid (MMG) configuration improves both cost efficiency and energy reliability, by reducing dependence on fossil-based backup and grid imports, significantly cutting operating costs.”
Chrif also explained that solar energy sharing between neighboring microgrids allows surplus PV power from one community to supply another facing a temporary deficit, minimizing curtailment and improving renewable utilization. “In addition, collective storage—where batteries across the network are coordinated—enables optimal energy balancing, peak shaving, and improved system resilience,” he went on to say.
The proposed multi-microgrid (MMG) framework was presented in the paper “Techno-economic sizing and multi-objective energy management of AC multi-bus microgrids for enhanced reliability and cost efficiency: Application to small villages in Morocco,” published in Energy Conversion and Management X. It was conceived as a tool enabling peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange and coordinated dispatch of distributed resources through a hierarchical energy management system.
The scientists described an MMG as a microgrid with multiple interconnected nodes, with each node having a local load, generation sources, or energy storage, enabling localized power management. “These multi-bus microgrids enhance the flexibility and resilience of energy supply within a single system,” they stated.
Image: Hassan 2 University, Energy Conversion and Management X, CC BY-SA 4.0
The two-stage hierarchical techno-economic model for the optimization of an AC MMG system was shaped based on a real case study analyzed for a remote village in Morocco's Imlil region.
The first stage utilizes an enhanced Genetic Algorithm (GA) and an AI technique to identify the most cost-effective configuration of distributed renewable energy resources within each microgrid. The second stage uses a multi-objective energy management strategy to coordinate energy exchange among the interconnected MGs and the main grid.
The researchers also conducted a “comprehensive” analysis of both active and reactive power flows in an effort to identify multidirectional energy exchanges among interconnected microgrids to ensure voltage stability, power quality, and efficient energy distribution.
Their cost model considered installation and operational costs, as well as external economic factors such as equipment degradation, inflation, discount rates, and interest rates.
They also proposed what they called an incentive-demand response (IDR) scheme to encourage customers to adjust and reduce their consumption during peak periods. Furthermore, they compared the techno-economic performance of standalone MGs and MMGs.
The research group said that the proposed modeling showed that a 4.6% reduction in operational costs through peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange and grid reliance minimization is possible for the case study involving a modified IEEE 5-bus system. “Results highlight voltage stability, effective battery utilization, and resilience in islanding mode, with 10% cost reduction from demand response,” they stated.
“Morocco has one of the highest solar potentials in the world, with annual irradiation ranging between 1,900 and 2,600 kWh/m²/year and more than 2,800 sunshine hours per year,” Chrif concluded. “Solar energy, therefore, plays a central role in the country’s renewable energy roadmap and in microgrid projects.”
The research group comprised scientists from France's CY Cergy-Paris University and Nantes University.
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