Hierarchical, Grid-Aware, and Economically Optimal Coordination of Distributed Energy Resources in Realistic...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Power Systems
• Control Systems

Background:

• Increasing solar photovoltaic (PV) penetration poses reliability challenges for distribution system operators (DSOs).
• Distributed energy resources (DERs) offer flexibility to manage grid stability and economic optimization.
• Existing grid management strategies struggle with high levels of variable renewable energy sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel hierarchical control scheme for actively managing behind-the-meter DERs.
• To ensure reliable operation of unbalanced distribution feeders with high solar PV levels.
• To economically optimize distribution network operations using DER flexibility.

Main Methods:

• A hierarchical control scheme with multiple optimization layers operating at different timescales.
• Active control of smart appliances and PV inverters as DERs.
• Validation through large-scale, realistic simulations using industry data.

Main Results:

• Coordination of DER flexibility significantly improves system reliability and economic performance.
• The proposed scheme enables greater penetration of solar PV in electric distribution systems.
• Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the hierarchical control strategy.

Conclusions:

• The hierarchical scheme effectively manages DERs for enhanced grid reliability and economic benefits.
• The approach facilitates higher integration of variable renewable energy sources like solar PV.
• Discussion on the practical implementation of communication and control systems for DSOs is provided.