Comparative Analysis of Different Clustering Techniques in Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid
    1. Energy Technology and Management Unit, Research and Innovation Center, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Received: September 01,2023 / Revised: Accepted: December 22,2023 / Published: June 30,2024

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 Rural electrification is a critical challenge in many developing countries, where conventional grid extension is often not feasible or cost-effective due to low load density and long distances. Hybrid AC/DC microgrids offer a promising alternative solution, providing a reliable and sustainable electricity supply to rural communities. This study presents a comparative analysis of four clustering techniques (hierarchical, k-means, fuzzy c-means, and gaussian mixture models) for optimizing cable routing by grouping loads in a low-voltage hybrid AC/DC microgrid in rural electrification areas. The proposed approach consists of several stages: (1) grouping loads into the clusters using four clustering techniques; (2) optimizing the radial topology in clusters of the microgrid by using minimum spanning tree (MST) and shortest path algorithms (SP); (3) balancing the three-phase system using mixed-integer linear programming (MILP); and (4) performing an economic analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the four clustering techniques. The methodology is applied to a real case study of an island area in Cambodia, and the performance of a hybrid microgrid under different clustering configurations is compared. The results show that k-means clustering is the most cost-efficient solution for optimizing the topology of a hybrid AC/DC microgrid in rural Cambodia.