Open Access

ARTICLE

Hierarchical Coordinated Optimization Control Strategy for Electricity-Hydrogen DC Microgrid System

Xinhao Lin¹, Lei Yu¹, Shuyin Duan¹, Yinliang Liu¹, Lvzerui Yuan¹, Xiao Chen^1,*, Yiqing Lian²

1 Department of Power Distribution Technology, Electric Power Research Institute of China Southern Power Grid Corporation, Guangzhou, 510663, China
2 Department of Technological Innovation, China Southern Power Grid, Guangzhou, 510663, China

* Corresponding Author: Xiao Chen. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Next-Generation Distribution System Planning, Operation, and Control)

Energy Engineering 2026, 123(6), 11 https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2026.072845

Received 04 September 2025; Accepted 03 December 2025; Issue published 27 May 2026

Abstract

To address the operational challenges posed by renewable energy generation uncertainty and load fluctuations in DC microgrids, this paper proposes a hierarchical coordinated optimization control strategy for electricity-hydrogen hybrid DC microgrids (EH-DC-MG). The strategy aims to leverage the synergistic advantages of hybrid electricity-hydrogen energy storage to simultaneously achieve multiple objectives, including economic system operation, efficient utilization of renewable energy, and reliable power supply. The upper optimization scheduling layer formulates a mixed-integer linear programming model with the objective of minimizing the total system cost, which incorporates equipment operation and maintenance expenses, battery depreciation, penalties for renewable energy curtailment, and power/hydrogen supply shortages. By solving this model, optimal power reference signals are generated for devices. The lower device control layer employs designed DC/DC converter control strategies to ensure fast and accurate tracking of the optimization commands while maintaining DC bus voltage stability. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can effectively coordinate electricity-hydrogen energy conversion and storage. Under various typical and extreme scenarios, the system maintains a high renewable energy utilization rate—remaining above 97.572% even under extreme conditions—while keeping the power shortage rate and hydrogen load curtailment rate at low levels. Specifically, under extreme power deficit scenarios, these rates are limited to 2.003% and 5.081%, respectively, which are significantly below the 10% quality constraint threshold, thereby ensuring a high degree of supply reliability. In addition, the DC bus voltage fluctuation is stabilized within 0.37%, far below the 5% safety operation threshold, validating the effectiveness of the control strategy. This study confirms that the proposed hierarchical coordinated optimization control strategy can support electricity-hydrogen hybrid DC microgrids in achieving economical, reliable, and resilient operation, providing a key technical reference for the optimized management of microgrids with high penetration of renewable energy.

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