Provably Quantum-Secure Microgrids through Enhanced Quantum Distributed Control

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum communication-based distributed control scheme for microgrids, enhancing cybersecurity and ensuring synchronization and power sharing among diverse energy resources.

Contribution

It proposes a scalable quantum distributed controller that enables secure information exchange via quantum channels, improving cybersecurity in microgrid control.

Findings

Quantum distributed control guarantees synchronization and power sharing.

Quantum channels enable inherently cybersecure microgrid communication.

Case studies confirm the effectiveness of the quantum control strategy.

Abstract

Distributed control of multi-inverter microgrids has attracted considerable attention as it can achieve the combined goals of flexible plug-and-play architecture guaranteeing frequency and voltage regulation while preserving power sharing among nonidentical distributed energy resources (DERs). However, it turns out that cybersecurity has emerged as a serious concern in distributed control schemes. Inspired by quantum communication developments and their security advantages, this paper devises a scalable quantum distributed controller that can guarantee synchronization, and power sharing among DERs. The key innovation lies in the fact that the new quantum distributed scheme allows for exchanging secret information directly through quantum channels among the participating DERs, making microgrids inherently cybersecure. Case studies on two ac and dc microgrids verify the efficacy of the new quantum distributed control strategy.