A dynamic game approach for demand-side management : scheduling energy storage with forecasting errors

Abstract: Smart metering infrastructure allows for two-way communication and power transfer. Based on this promising technology, we propose a demand-side management (DSM) scheme for a residential neighbourhood of prosumers. Its core is a discrete time dynamic game to schedule individually owned home energy storage. The system model includes an advanced battery model, local generation of renewable energy, and forecasting errors for demand and generation. We derive a closed-form solution for the best response problem of a player and construct an iterative algorithm to solve the game. Empirical analysis shows exponential convergence towards the Nash equilibrium. A comparison of a DSM scheme with a static game reveals the advantages of the dynamic game approach. We provide an extensive analysis on the influence of the forecasting error on the outcome of the game. A key result demonstrates that our approach is robust even in the worst-case scenario. This grants considerable gains for the utility company organising the DSM scheme and its participants

Energy storage scheduling with an advanced battery model : a game–theoretic approach

Energy storage systems will play a key role for individual users in the future smart grid. They serve two purposes: (i) handling the intermittent nature of renewable energy resources for a more reliable and efficient system; and (ii) preventing the impact of blackouts on users and allowing for more independence from the grid, while saving money through load-shifting. In this paper we investigate the latter scenario by looking at a neighbourhood of 25 households whose demand is satisfied by one utility company. Assuming the users possess lithium-ion batteries, we answer the question of how each household can make the best use of their individual storage system given a real-time pricing policy. To this end, each user is modelled as a player of a non-cooperative scheduling game. The novelty of the game lies in the advanced battery model, which incorporates charging and discharging characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. The action set for each player comprises day-ahead schedules of their respective battery usage. We analyse different user behaviour and are able to obtain a realistic and applicable understanding of the potential of these systems. As a result, we show the correlation between the efficiency of the battery and the outcome of the game

A review of the tools and methods for distribution networks' hosting capacity calculation

Integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) has numerous advantages as well as some disadvantages. To safely integrate DERs into a given distribution network and to maximize their benefits, it is important to thoroughly analyze the impact of DERs on that particular network. The maximum amount of DERs that a given distribution network can accommodate without causing technical problems or without requiring infrastructure modifications is defined as the hosting capacity (HC). In this work, a review of the recent literature regarding the HC is presented. The major limiting factors of HC are found to be voltage deviation, phase unbalance, thermal overload, power losses, power quality, installation location and protection devices’ miscoordination. The studies are found to employ one of four different methods for HC calculation: (i) deterministic, (ii) stochastic, (iii) optimization-based and (iv) streamlined. Commercially available tools for HC calculation are also presented. The review concludes that the choice of tools and methods for HC calculation depends on the data available and the type of study that is to be performed

Asking the right questions for Sustainable Development Goals : performance assessment approaches for the Qatar education system

Questions determine our fate as individuals and societies. Asking the right questions at the right time and in the right amount makes our choices and decisions meaningful. As human beings we all experience this from an early age. In education, in order to evaluate, learn and inform the growth of students, the professional development of teachers and the overall efficiency of the system, questions become an integral element of the complex, non-linear and social system at different levels. The purpose of this article is to investigate how performance assessment strategies play a role in the education system, and to understand how progressive performance assessments can be set up with sustainable thinking and designed in alignment with the United Nation’s (UN) Development Goals (SGDs) for a given context. To aid Qatar’s pursuit in transitioning from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one, this study aims to design and develop a proper performance assessment (PA) framework that is aligned with the SDGs and education goals (EGs) to help achieve social and human development as envisioned in Qatar’s national vision. This article: (i) presents a theoretical and qualitative analysis of PA practices in the Qatar Education System (QES); (ii) provides a comparative analysis among the best PA practices at the global level; and (iii) examines the methodology, conditions, and findings based on learning from: (a) the successful experiences of other countries, (b) documented analyses of local past experiences, (c) local stakeholders (through a qualitative investigation) in order to understand the needs, develop recommendations and design a tailored PA strategy. The results indicate that there are misalignments between the core educational components such as EGs and the assessment methods used to evaluate them. The analysis and findings reveal that the QES urgently needs to develop a PA strategy that is appropriate for its stakeholders to meet the EGs and enhance their sustainability competencies. Finally, this study proposes a PA framework for the QES to align its core elements with SDGs and EGs

On optimal battery sizing for households participating in demand-side management schemes

The smart grid with its two-way communication and bi-directional power layers is a cornerstone in the combat against global warming. It allows for the large scale adoption of distributed (individually-owned) renewable energy resources such as solar photovoltaic systems. Their intermittency poses a threat to the stability of the grid which can be addressed by the introduction of energy storage systems. Determining the optimal capacity of a battery has been an active area of research in recent years. In this research an in-depth analysis of the relation between optimal capacity, and demand and generation patterns is performed for households taking part in a community-wide demand-side management scheme. The scheme is based on a non-cooperative dynamic game approach in which participants compete for the lowest electricity bill by scheduling their energy storage systems. The results are evaluated based on self-consumption, the peak-to-average ratio of the aggregated load, and potential cost reductions. Furthermore, the difference between individually-owned batteries to a centralised community energy storage system serving the whole community is investigated.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Game theory to enhance stock management of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 outbreak

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare facilities have suffered from shortages in medical resources, particularly in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In this paper, we propose a game-theoretic approach to schedule PPE orders among healthcare facilities. In this PPE game, each independent healthcare facility optimises its own storage utilisation in order to keep its PPE cost at a minimum. Such a model can reduce peak demand considerably when applied to a variable PPE consumption profile. Experiments conducted for NHS England regions using actual data confirm that the challenge of securing PPE supply during disasters such as COVID-19 can be eased if proper stock management procedures are adopted. These procedures can include early stockpiling, increasing storage capacities and implementing measures that can prolong the time period between successive infection waves, such as social distancing measures. Simulation results suggest that the provision of PPE dedicated storage space can be a viable solution to avoid straining PPE supply chains in case a second wave of COVID-19 infections occurs

Incentives and strategies for financing the renewable energy transition : a review

With the global population set to continue growing, the demand for energy will increase. Fossil fuel resources are in decline, and their use is associated with environmental destruction. This highlights the need for more investment in energy resources that can meet the global demand without harming the environment. Clean forms of energy, such as solar, wind, and hydropower, are both successful and readily available, yet investment in them has fluctuated. The affordability, ease of availability and technological maturity of oil in some regions has contributed to the slow uptake of investment in renewable energy projects. This paper discusses the main barriers hindering investment in clean energy production, highlights crucial incentives that could speed up investment processes, and examines several necessary strategies for the transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to renewable sources