This paper presents the design of a low complexity Fuzzy Logic Controller of only 25-rules to be embedded in an Energy Management System for a residential grid-connected microgrid including Renewable Energy Sources and storage capability. The system assumes that neither the renewable generation nor the load demand is controllable. The main goal of the design is to minimize the grid power profile fluctuations while keeping the Battery State of Charge within secure limits. Instead of using forecasting-based methods, the proposed approach uses both the microgrid energy rate-of-change and the battery SOC to increase, decrease or maintain the power delivered/absorbed by the mains. The controller design parameters (membership functions and rule-base) are adjusted to optimize a pre-defined set of quality criteria of the microgrid behavior. A comparison with other proposals seeking the same goal is presented at simulation level, whereas the features of the proposed design are experimentally tested on a real residential microgrid implemented at the Public University of Navarre.

Peer Reviewed