An Evolutionary Computational Approach for the Problem of Unit Commitment and Economic Dispatch in Microgrids under Several Operation Modes

In the last decades, new types of generation technologies have emerged and have been gradually integrated into the existing power systems, moving their classical architectures to distributed systems. Despite the positive features associated to this paradigm, new problems arise such as coordination and uncertainty. In this framework, microgrids constitute an effective solution to deal with the coordination and operation of these distributed energy resources. This paper proposes a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to address the combined problem of Unit Commitment (UC) and Economic Dispatch (ED). With this end, a model of a microgrid is introduced together with all the control variables and physical constraints. To optimally operate the microgrid, three operation modes are introduced. The first two attend to optimize economical and environmental factors, while the last operation mode considers the errors induced by the uncertainties in the demand forecasting. Therefore, it achieves a robust design that guarantees the power supply for different confidence levels. Finally, the algorithm was applied to an example scenario to illustrate its performance. The achieved simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades TEC2016-80242-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad PCIN-2015-043Universidad de Sevilla Programa propio de I+D+

Revolutionizing Green Transport: An Extensive Review of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Electric Microgrid Integration

Electric vehicles (EVs), recognized as a strategic approach to reducing oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, rely on electricity instead of traditional fuels like petrol or diesel for battery charging, positioning them as a significant player in future energy landscapes. The anticipated decline in oil demand aligns with the increasing prevalence of EVs, making attention to charging infrastructure crucial. This paper extensively explores charging infrastructure considerations, emphasizing their significance in both urban and rural contexts, especially in regions with unstable or absent power supplies. Examining off-grid, grid-connected, and hybrid charging modes, the research delves into various EV designs, including those utilizing fuel cells or batteries. A thorough understanding of energy-source-based charging techniques and diverse power-level charging stations is presented, catering to readers' interests. With a focus on enhancing the longevity and efficiency of electric vehicles, researchers are investigating innovative charging methods, including microgrid concepts within charging stations. Recognizing electric vehicles as multi-energy systems, the paper underscores the importance of effective power management and control for optimal energy utilization. Additionally, the review scrutinizes the impact of electric vehicles on utility grid infrastructure & maintenance, evaluating various power management and control systems. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for electric vehicle operators and research engineers, offering insights into the current state of the field and potential avenues for future exploration

A review on the virtual power plant: Components and operation systems

© 2016 IEEE. Due to the high penetration of Distributed Generations (DGs) in the network and the presently involving competition in all electrical energy markets, Virtual Power Plant (VPP) as a new concept has come into view, with the intention of dealing with the increasing number of DGs in the system and handling effectively the competition in the electricity markets. This paper reviews the VPP in terms of components and operation systems. VPP fundamentally is composed of a number of DGs including conventional dispatchable power plants and intermittent generating units along with possible flexible loads and storage units. In this paper, these components are described in an all-inclusive manner, and some of the most important ones are pointed out. In addition, the most important anticipated outcomes of the two types of VPP, Commercial VPP (CVPP) and Technical VPP (TVPP), are presented in detail. Furthermore, the important literature associated with Combined Heat and Power (CHP) based VPP, VPP components and modeling, VPP with Demand Response (DR), VPP bidding strategy, and participation of VPP in electricity markets are briefly classified and discussed in this paper

Energy management and peer-to-peer trading in future smart grids: a distributed game-theoretic approach

© 2020 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.We consider the economic dispatch problem for a day-ahead, peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity market of prosumers (i.e., energy consumers who can also produce electricity) in a distribution network. In our model, each prosumer has the capability of producing power through its dispatchable or non-dispatchable generation units and/or has a storage energy unit. Furthermore, we consider a hybrid main grid & P2P market in which each prosumer can trade power both with the main grid and with (some of) the other prosumers. First, we cast the economic dispatch problem as a noncooperative game with coupling constraints. Then, we design a fully-scalable algorithm to steer the system to a generalized Nash equilibrium (GNE). Finally, we show through numerical studies that the proposed methodology has the potential to ensure safe and efficient operation of the power grid.This work was partially supported by NWO under research projects OMEGA (grant n. 613.001.702), P2P-TALES (grant n. 647.003.003), the ERC under research project COS-MOS (802348), the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovationprogramme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 675318 (INCITE)Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Distributed generation on rural electricity networks - a lines company perspective : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Energy Management at Massey University

CD held with Reference copyA number of electricity assets used in rural New Zealand yield a very low return on investment. According to the provisions of the Electricity Act 1992, after 01 April 2013, lines companies may terminate supply to any customer to whom they cannot provide electricity lines services profitably. This research was undertaken to assist the policy makers, lines companies, rural investors on the viability of distributed generation in a rural setting from the point of view of the lines company and the investor as well as to provide recommendations to the problem areas. A dynamic distributed generation model was developed to simulate critical distributed generation scenarios relevant to New Zealand, such as diverse metering arrangements, time dependent electricity prices, peak shaving by load control, peak lopping by dispatchable distributed generation and state subsides, which are not addressed in commercial software. Data required to run the model was collected from a small rural North Island sheep and beef farming community situated at the end of a 26km long radial distribution feeder. Additional operational data were also collected from the community on distributed resources such as solar hot water systems. A number of optimum distributed generation combinations involving a range of technologies under different metering arrangements and price signals were identified for the small and the medium investor. The effect of influencing factors, such as state initiatives and technological growth, on the investor and the lines companies were discussed. Recommendations for future implementation in order to integrate distributed generation on to rural networks were also given. Several key research areas were identified and discussed including low cost micro hydro, wind resource assessment, diversification of the use of the induction generators, voltage flicker and dynamic distributed generation techno-economic forecasting tools

Vision for 100 % renewable Åland Islands

Abstract. Energy systems throughout the world are undergoing a transition where renewable energy is substituting combustion of fossil fuels in power and heat production. The motive for the energy transition origins from climate goals that are set out to limit global warming well below two degrees from pre-industrial levels. The objective of the thesis is to study how an existing energy network and local characteristics can be utilized to transform an energy system to operate 100% on renewable energy. As future energy systems are expected to rely highly on variable renewable energy (VRE) generation, the thesis also intends to study which additional investments on unit and system level elements would increase flexibility in an energy system with high intermittency in power supply. The energy system of Åland Islands is studied as a case example, as different stakeholders are currently aiming to convert the island fully renewable by 2025. The thesis outlines the energy system of Åland Islands to comprise of the regional power grid and district heating network located in the capital Mariehamn. Based on literature review, three energy system scenarios were built to represent three alternative energy transition pathways for Åland Islands to be implemented by 2025. An energy system modelling tool developed at VTT was utilized to define the cost-optimal configuration of thermal production units in relation to scenario-wise capacities of VRE generators, flexibility elements and power interconnectors. Modelling results were utilized to evaluate technical feasibility as well as economic and environmental impacts of the studied energy transition pathways. In addition, value of additional flexibility investments in demand and supply balancing was studied. Due to local conditions, Åland is able to base its power supply greatly on intermittent wind energy by 2025. As a key finding of the thesis, strengthening the link between power grid and district heating network via a bio-CHP unit would increase profitability and self-sufficiency of an energy system with high reliance on variable power supply especially, when the CHP unit is integrated to a thermal energy storage (TES). Feasibility of bio-CHP as a flexibility element was found to be reliant of biomass availability and price, however, neither is considered as a constraining factor for bio-CHP applicability in Åland Islands. An additional investment on a centralized electric boiler was discovered to increase internal utilization of local VRE supply, however, resulting in lower profitability of bio-CHP investment as electric boiler was discovered to reduce full load operating hours and annual energy output of the CHP unit. The role of the applied stationary electrochemical batteries were found to be negligible on system-level VRE balancing while usability of stationary electrochemical batteries in short-term grid balancing were unabled to be studied due to the chosen temporal scale in the modelling tool. By investing on local energy assets, Åland would be able to cut reliance of imported electricity to reinforce power self sufficiency on the island. Environmental benefits would arise from discarded fossil carbon emissions from power and district heating sector and as a potential net exporter of renewable energy, Åland would be able to decrease utilization of fossil fuels in surrounding power areas as well. Although the renewable energy transition in Åland Islands is technically possible and brings out environmental benefits, the studied renewable energy transition pathways for Åland Islands were discovered to be economically unprofitable. The current market model on the island has to be shaped to support local renewable generation. An alternative would be to partly fund the renewable energy transition in Åland Islands by public financial support schemes. Methodology applied in the thesis related to required input parameters for energy system modelling and methods to examine the modelling results can be employed to investigate potential renewable energy transition pathways in energy systems throughout the world. The modelling results related to Åland Islands can be applied to evaluate potential benefits of bio CHP and TES in facilitating VRE integration in areas aiming to utilize district heating network to balance intermittent VRE supply. In addition, the results can be utilized to evaluate the applicability of electric boiler in increasing internal utilization of locally produced VRE supply. However, as the energy transition pathways studied in the thesis were designed in particular to Åland Islands, more detailed techno-economic analysis of existing energy system elements and local characteristics should be performed to the region where similar approach to renewable energy transition and VRE integration would be applied as in Åland Islands in this study.Täysin uusiutuvan energiajärjestelmän suunnittelu : case Ahvenanmaa. Tiivistelmä. Energiamurros on käynnissä ympäri maailmaa, kun vähähiiliset ja uusiutuvat energiamuodot korvaavat fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttöä sähkön ja lämmön tuotannossa. Murroksen takana ovat ilmastotavoitteet, joiden tarkoituksena on hillitä maapallon lämpötilan nousu selvästi alle kahteen asteeseen esiteollisesta ajasta. Tämä diplomityön tarkoituksena on tutkia, kuinka täysin uusiutuvaan tuotantoon perustuva energiajärjestelmä voidaan toteuttaa alueellisen energiajärjestelmän olemassa olevia elementtejä ja paikallisen uusiutuvan energian mahdollisuuksia hyödyntäen. Koska vaihtelevan tuotannon, kuten tuuli- ja aurinkovoiman, oletetaan lisääntyvän sähköntuotannossa tulevaisuudessa, diplomityön tarkoituksena on myös tutkia, millä yksikkö- ja systeemitason investoinneilla energiajärjestelmän joustavuutta voidaan lisätä sähkön tuotannon ja kysynnän tasaamiseen energiajärjestelmässä, jossa sähköntuotannon vaihtelu on suurta. Ahvenanmaan energiajärjestelmää käytetään case-esimerkkinä, koska eri sidosryhmät pyrkivät muuntamaan Ahvenanmaan energiajärjestelmän täysin uusiutuvaksi vuoteen 2025 mennessä. Tässä työssä energiajärjestelmän tarkastelu rajataan kattamaan Ahvenanmaan sähköverkko ja pääkaupunki Maarianhaminassa sijaitseva kaukolämpöjärjestelmä. Kirjallisuuskatsauksen perusteella Ahvenanmaalle rakennettiin kolme vaihtoehtoista vuoteen 2025 mennessä toteutettavaa energiaskenaariota. VTT:llä kehitettyä energiamallinnustyökalua hyödyntäen jokaiselle skenaariolle laskettiin kustannusoptimi, jossa polttoon perustuvien energiantuotantolaitosten kapasiteetti optimoitiin etukäteen määritettyjen vaihtelevan tuotannon, joustoelementtien ja siirtoyhteyksien kapasiteettien mukaan. Mallinnuksen tuloksia hyödynnettiin eri energiapolkujen teknisen toteutettavuuden tarkastelussa sekä energiamurroksen talous- ja ympäristövaikutusten arvioinnissa. Lisäksi joustoelementtien tuomaa lisäarvoa kysynnän ja tuotannon tasaamisessa arvioitiin. Paikallisten olosuhteiden ansiosta tuulienergia voi kattaa suurimman osan Ahvenanmaan vuotuisesta sähkönkulutuksesta vuoteen 2025 mennessä. Diplomityön keskeisimpien tulosten mukaan paikallisen sähköverkon ja kaukolämpöverkon vuorovaikutuksen lisääminen bio-CHP investoinnin avulla kasvattaa korkean sähköntuotannon vaihtelun omaavan energiajärjestelmän kannattavuutta ja omavaraisuutta etenkin silloin, kun CHP on yhdistetty kaukolämpövarastoon. Bio CHP:n soveltuvuus energiajärjestelmän joustoelementtinä todettiin olevan riippuvainen biomassan saatavuudesta ja hinnasta; kumpikaan tekijä ei kuitenkaan rajoita bio-CHP:n käyttömahdollisuuksia ja kannattavuutta Ahvenanmaalla. Lisäinvestointi keskitettyyn sähkökattilaan lisää paikallisen sähkön käyttöä energiajärjestelmässä, mutta vähentää CHP investoinnin kannattavuutta, sillä keskitetyn sähkökattilan huomattiin vähentävän bio-CHP:n täysiä ajotunteja ja vuotuista energiantuotantoa. Keskitetyn sähköakun hyödyt systeemitason joustossa todettiin mitättömiksi, kun taas sähköakun potentiaalia sähköverkon alle tunnin mittaisessa säädössä ei voitu tutkia mallinnukseen valitusta tunnin aika-askeleesta johtuen. Investoimalla paikalliseen energiantuotantoon Ahvenanmaa kykenisi vähentämään riippuvuutta tuontisähköstä lisäämällä näin alueen energiaomavaraisuutta. Ympäristöhyödyt Ahvenanmaan energiamurroksesta ilmenevät hiilidioksidivapaasta sähkön- ja lämmöntuotannosta fossiilisten päästöjen suhteen. Potentiaalisena uusiutuvan energian nettoviejänä Ahvenanmaa kykenisi vähentämään fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttöä myös ympäröivillä energia-alueilla. Vaikkakin energiajärjestelmän muutos todettiin Ahvenanmaalla teknisesti mahdolliseksi, ja vaikka uusiutuva energiajärjestelmä toisi mukanaan ympäristöhyötyjä, tutkitut energiaskenaariot todettiin nykytilanteessa taloudellisesti kannattamattomiksi. Jotta energiajärjestelmän muutos olisi myös taloudellisesti kannattava, nykyinen energiamarkkinamalli Ahvenanmaalla tulisi mukauttaa tukemaan paikallista uusiutuvan energian tuotantoa. Vaihtoehtoisesti Ahvenanmaan energiajärjestelmä voitaisiin osin rahoittaa julkiseen rahaan pohjautuvilla tukimekanismeilla. Diplomityössä käytettyä metodologiaa energiajärjestelmän mallinnukseen vaadittaviin alkuarvoihin ja tulosten analysointiin liittyen voidaan hyödyntää myös muiden täysin uusiutuvaan energiantuotantoon tähtäävien energiajärjestelmien mallinnuksessa ja analysoinnissa. Ahvenanmaan uusiutuvan energiajärjestelmän mallinnustuloksia voidaan etenkin käyttää bio-CHP:n ja kaukolämpövaraston potentiaalisten hyötyjen arvioinnissa alueilla, joissa vaihtelevan tuotannon osuus sähköntuotannossa on suurta, ja joissa paikallista kaukolämpöverkkoa halutaan hyödyntää vaihtelevan sähköntuotannon tasaamiseen. Lisäksi diplomityön tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää keskitetyn sähkökattilan käytettävyyden arvioinnissa alueilla, joissa paikallisesti tuotetun sähkön osuutta omassa energiankulutuksessa halutaan kasvattaa. Koska kuitenkin diplomityössä analysoidut energiaskenaariot on suunniteltu täysin Ahvenanmaan uusiutuvan energiapotentiaalin ja olemassa olevan energiajärjestelmän ominaisuuksien mukaan, yksityiskohtaisempi teknis-taloudellinen energiajärjestelmäanalyysi tulisi tehdä alueelle, jossa vastaavaa lähestymistapaa energiajärjestelmän muutokseen ja uusiutuvan energian integrointiin halutaan soveltaa kuin Ahvenanmaahan sovellettiin tässä diplomityössä

Demand Side Management Studies on Distributed Energy Resources: A Survey

The number of distributed environmentally friendly energy sources and generators necessitates new operating methods and a power network board to preserve or even increase the efficiency and quality of the power supply. Similarly, the growth of matriculates promotes the formation of new institutional systems, in which power and power exchanges become increasingly essential. Because of how an inactive entity traditionally organizes distribution systems, the DG’s connection inevitably changes the system’s qualifications to which it is connected. As a consequence of the Distributed Generation, this presumption is currently legal and non-existent. This article glides on demand side management and analysis on distributed energy resources. Investigation of DSM along with zonal wise classification has been carried out in this survey. Its merits and applications are also presented