Toward Intelligent Power Systems: 5G-Enabled Hybrid Control of Distributed Energy Resources in Microgrids and Virtual Power Plants

The accelerating global shift toward renewable energy requires resilient and intelligent power systems ca-pable of integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) at scale. This dissertation presents the design, implementation, and validation of a hybrid control framework for Micro-Grids (MGs) and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), leveraging 5G cellular networks for real-time supervisory communication. The research fo-cuses on the coordinated operation of Grid Forming Inverter (GFMI) and Grid Following Inverters (GFLIs), enabling dynamic transitions between islanded and grid-connected modes while maintaining system stability and resilience. A modular inverter-based microgrid platform was developed using TI DSP controllers, power electronic converters, and a low-latency 5G communication infrastructure employing MQTT protocols. The proposed control strategy combines fast local agents response with remote supervisory agent commands transmitted through Bell’s commercial 5G network in Canada, enhancing flexibility, scalability, and reliability. Labo-ratory experiments validate the system under diverse operational scenarios, including load variations, grid connection, network disconnection, resynchronization, and parallel inverter power-sharing. Feasibility tests conducted over Bell’s 5G network in Canada show end-to-end communication latency in the range of 40–250 ms, which is well suited for supervisory control, system monitoring, and remote setpoint updates. Experimental results confirm stable inverter operation and seamless mode transitions under dynamic conditions. The findings contribute to advancing distributed energy systems by integrating modern communication networks with conventional control architectures in MGs and VPPs.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Engineering – Electrical & Computer

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Kashani, Seyedali Seif

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Knight, Andrew M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ghannoouchi, Fadhel
• Nowicki, Edwin Peter
• Korobenko, Artem
• Lehn, Peter W.

• 5G Communication
• Hybrid Control
• MQTT based control
• Power system
• Power Electronics
• Parallel Inverter
• Virtual Power Plant
• Micro-Grid
• Hybrid VPP Control
• 5G Communication in VPP Control

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50575

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/122981