Distributed energy resource management system

1. A power distribution and control system for use with a bulk generation system having transmission and distribution systems, the power distribution and control system comprising:

a plurality of microgrids each including a power generation element and a load;

a plurality of microgrid controllers each associated with one and only one of the plurality of microgrids;

a first communication network;

a high-level controller operable using the first communication network to communicate with the bulk generation system and each of the plurality of microgrid controllers, the high-level controller operable to coordinate the operation of the microgrids during normal system operation;

a second communication network separate from the first communication network, the second communication network providing peer to peer communication between each of the plurality of microgrid controllers when at least one of the high-level controller and the first communication network is not available; and

a plurality of third communication networks, each third communication network providing communication between one of the plurality of microgrid controllers and at least one of the power generation element and the load associated with that microgrid controller,

each third communication network being configured to be activated in response to disablement of the peer-to-peer communication provided by the second communication network.

2. The power distribution and control system of claim 1 , wherein each microgrid includes a photovoltaic element and an energy storage element.

3. The power distribution and control system of claim 2 , wherein each microgrid controller uses the third communication network to monitor the state of health of at least one of the associated power generation element, the load, the photovoltaic element, and the energy storage element.

4. The power distribution and control system of claim 2 , further comprising a sky imager operable to determine a short-term forecast of a local cloud cover.

5. The power distribution and control system of claim 4 , wherein the forecast of local cloud cover is transmitted to one of the microgrid controllers and wherein the microgrid controller estimates a quantity of power generation from its associated photovoltaic element.

6. The power distribution and control system of claim 1 , wherein a first of the plurality of microgrids includes a plurality of loads, and wherein one of those loads is designated as a critical load.

7. The power distribution and control system of claim 6 , wherein the microgrid controller associated with the first microgrid operates to assure that power is delivered first to the critical load.

8. The power distribution and control system of claim 1 , wherein the first of the plurality of microgrids includes an inverter, and wherein the inverter includes an inverter control that controls an inverter output voltage.

9. The power distribution and control system of claim 8 , wherein the inverter control includes a grid-forming control for grid-connected inverters that provides for synchronization to a grid and load sharing.

10. The power distribution and control system of claim 1 , further comprising an external database containing at least weather data, the external database accessible by the high-level controller via the first communication network.

11. The power distribution and control system of claim 10 , wherein the high-level controller utilizes historical data to at least partially control the operation of each of the plurality of microgrid controllers.