There is a growing interest to consider energy storage (ES) and other non-wires alternatives (NWAs) to conventional distribution system solutions in applications such as distribution capacity, feeder reliability and integration of distributed energy resources. However, as ES is not a very common grid asset, yet, distribution system operators do not have well-established practices to evaluate ES as NWA. In particular, it is not clear how ES will influence the various aspects of the general distribution planning process and what new assessments distribution planners may need to perform. This study discusses the additional considerations and analytics that distribution planners need to perform at various stages of the general distribution planning process when considering ES as an NWA for distribution capacity. These discussions are related to defining the planning criteria and inputs, assessing the distribution system capacity needs, designing the ES NWA solution, stacked services, and economic comparison of ES NWA designs and conventional distribution capacity solutions. Streamlining the use of planning resources with the aid of screening criteria and methods is also discussed.
In consequence of the increasing electrification in the heat and mobility sector as well as the penetration of decentralised generation technologies and battery storage systems, new volatile load patterns and higher peak loads will challenge the operation and planning of future distribution grids. The demand for flexibility to prevent voltage boundary violations and overloads could be provided by prosumers, which are offering their power flexibility for congestion management. Based on a developed local flexibility market simulation framework, in this study, the question is explored how much flexibility low-voltage grids will demand in different scenarios for congestion management. In addition, the definition of characteristic values such as critical grid states of the annual operating hours or marginal costs of flexibility calls with regard to conventional grid investments will be a result. Finally, this study highlights the opportunities and effects of considered flexibility use in hybrid grid planning.
The increasing penetration of distributed generation is leading to a higher number of unintentional islands in distribution grids. Currently, islanded operation of distribution grids is not allowed, since it poses a threat to both maintenance crews and grid assets (because voltage and frequency may go out of range). This study presents the results of intentional islanding tests of medium-voltage distribution grids. The tests were conducted in different zones of the distribution grid of a major Spanish distribution system operator (DSO), i-DE Redes Eléctricas Inteligentes S.A.U., with the aim of reproducing the unintentional islands. The tests performed have confirmed that distribution islands are formed and maintained over time, even without grid-forming elements. However, it has been determined that the stability of such islands depends on the boundary conditions of the islanded grid zone, such as the characteristics of the loads or the nature of the anti-island protections. In addition, the tests have shown that it is often difficult to obtain all the information about the boundary conditions (e.g. protection settings, load types etc.).
This study offers an overview of the H2020 InterConnect project, which targets the relation between smart homes and distribution grids. The project vision is to produce a digital marketplace, using an interoperable marketplace toolbox and Smart appliances REference Ontology (SAREF) compliant Internet of Things (IoT) reference architecture as the main backbone, through which all SAREF-ized services, compliant devices, platform enablers and applications can be downloaded onto IoT and smart grid digital platforms. Energy users in buildings, either residential or non-residential, manufacturers, distribution grid operators and the energy retailers will work together towards the demonstration of the smart energy management solutions in seven connected large-scale test-sites in Portugal, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece and France. This study depicts how InterConnect project will enhance the relation and the interconnectivity between smart buildings and grids safeguarding the definition of the role of each stakeholder in energy and non-energy services.
The grid and market hub is a core development of InteGrid, an H2020 project, which has recently entered its demonstration phase. This central and neutral hub aims to demonstrate the key role of the distribution system operator (DSO) in the energy transition, namely in a scenario foreseen to have large-scale dissemination of distributed energy resources, being them small generation (photovoltaic, wind), electric vehicles, facing big growths or storage devices, with continuously decreasing prices. The Hub directly addresses several roles of the DSO, particularly as a market enabler, data manager and stakeholder manager, bridging the gap between distribution technical needs and new energy services for other distribution grid stakeholders. The authors overview the grid and market bub concept and how it is deployed under the InteGrid project to unlock data-driven services as a neutral stakeholder.
Communication tools and techniques between transmission grid operator (TSO) and distribution grid operator (DSO) must be able to deal with increasingly larger volumes of information and these tools should be based on existing smart grid ICT standards. In the EU-project TDX-ASSIST, an international consortium of grid operators and researchers is working on the design and development of new ICT tools which meet these future challenges. This paper describes findings from two of the project's demonstration sites. Some demonstrations employ a communication and connectivity service platform (ECCo SP) which enables the use of flexibility platforms. Others employ co-simulations to emulate data exchanges between TSO, DSO and the grid. In the further course of TDX-ASSIST, the demonstration results will be used to establish feedback to standardisation bodies such as IEC, CEN/CENELEC/ETSI CG-SEG and working groups focused on TSO–DSO information exchange.
: Congestion that is the increasing problem of many distribution systems can be resolved using the local flexibility market (LFM) as a market-based solution along with non-market-based solutions such as reactive power control, network reinforcement, coordinated voltage control etc. The objective of this study is to show how the market and non-market-based solutions can relieve congestion by designing and using a simulation environment. The idea of the study is to solve the congestion in distribution networks through LFM, non-market-based solutions, or a mix of those alternatives. To do so, the simulation environment enables us to analyse and understand the features of three scenarios associated with congestion management (CM). A deterministic optimisation algorithm in the distribution management system is used to select the best solution candidate for CM.
The main objective of the carried out the sophisticated installation of a highly advanced battery energy storage system (BESS) was to increase the all-around-world monitored parameters of quality and reliability of electricity distribution and, in its context, to achieve the highest customer satisfaction. As the local distribution system was repeatedly affected by undervoltage, overvoltage as well as short-term blackouts, the installed highly advanced BESS outstandingly increased the flexibility of the production (over 90% of the installed power capacity is available on the market in an utmost flexible regime) and, furthermore, effectively utilised and capitalised the production of the incorporated photovoltaic power plant. The system is also capable of providing blackstart, as well as island mode operation, frequency regulation and many other important regimes. The presented BESS is unique not only in Europe but also word-wide thanks to its versatile use.
As the further development of integrated multi-energy microgrid (IMEM), the distributed management of it increasingly attracts more attention and researches because of different interest parts and data privacy preservation. Thus, a distributed day-ahead economic dispatch (ED) model is presented in this study, which is meaningful to the collaborative optimisation scheduling of IMEM. In the ED model of IMEM, the constraints of plug-in electric vehicles, multi-energy networks and energy conversion units are considered. A distributed algorithm based on the alternating direction method of a multiplier is proposed to achieve distributed dispatching of IMEM. A modified IMEM case is evaluated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and method.
The evolution of electrical distribution grids requires the distribution system operators (DSOs) to be ready for a more complex and flexible grid. This study explores the use of scenario analysis as a useful tool that the operators can use to foresee and hedge against any upcoming challenges. However, available energy transition scenarios in the literature predominantly focus on a large scale in their projections and hence may not be the best fit for this task. This study proposes an approach to break down the projections of these scenarios to the level of a specific distribution grid, taking into account the current state of the system and its specificities. A study case with a DSO and the electricity system in France is also presented. The work demonstrates how applying scenario analysis to an individual DSO can be beneficial in exploring multiple possible futures and determining future challenges and requirements.
The present study describes the characteristics of the European project Platone that proposes an innovative approach to joint data management for both higher levels of observability and exploitation of flexibility of the distribution grids. In the project, a layered platform will fulfil the needs of system operators, aggregators, and end users. A blockchain-based platform is the access layer to generators ' and customers ' flexibilities able to break traditional access barriers by providing certified measures to all the players. Certified data and signals will be used for an innovative distribution system operator (DSO) platform to locally maintain system integrity fostering confidence in flexibility operations. An upper layer will make data available to market platforms: also in this case it is envisioned the possibility of a blockchain approach to link the local system to the transmission system operator domains and enhance the overall system cost efficiency. Platone puts the grid users at the centre, investigates their needs and expectations and uses the underlying blockchain to unlock the potentials of higher dynamics of response. The platform will be tested in pilots hosted by three larger DSOs in Europe and analysed in cooperation with a large University in Canada.
The development of better intelligence on the network management systems combined with a new model of connections for customers allows the UK Power Networks to defer traditional reinforcement. This consequently reduces connections, maintenance and operation costs for the customers. The development of intelligence at the field devices is key to the safe operation of the network and management of customer's connections. In view of that, the UK Power Networks has designed, developed and trialled a remote terminal unit (RTU) logic with fail-to-safe that integrates with the centralised smart applications and the distributed controllable devices. Therefore, customers will not only be controlled by a centralised system but also locally by an on-site RTU, which acts as a smart communication gateway with embedded intelligence to execute failsafe actions locally. These fail-to-safes are particularly important in the absence of a central control system which can then reduce the unnecessary curtailment of generators by introducing additional time and safe operating limits for them to export the power to the grid.
The energy transition (Energiewende) requires further investment in renewable energy sources (RESs). These investments are only possible if local communities are actively involved in development. So far, the integration of RES leads to high investments in the grids. Within the IElectrix research project, E.DIS is participating with the pilot project ‘Mobile Energy with E.DIS’ (Moew.e). The innovative solution of a mobile battery storage in the distribution network is being investigated within Moew.e. The demonstration of the mobile storage system intends to enable local communities to participate more in the energy transition. In this demonstration, a mobile storage system with a ‘plug-and-play’ interface will be developed to investigate the postponement of the grid reinforcement and the further connection of RES. In addition to the technical implementation of the project, future developments of RES, customer behaviour and market potentials will be considered and integrated into the process.
The MADE project [ 1 ] is a trial of smart control technology for integrating domestic Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs). Enabling third party controls to integrate and optimise with multiple LCTs provides greater customer value, a route towards decarbonisation, and complete flexibility on the electrical load for demand-side management. The MADE Project unlocks this potential by controlling low carbon technologies in a fully optimised way that balances the needs of the consumer and the energy networks. MADE is a UK Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) project partnering Western Power Distribution, PassivSystems, Delta-EE, Everoze and Imperial College. The project has modelled and tested at a small scale (5 homes), the impact of predictive demand control technology provided by PassivSystems, on coordinated domestic Electric Vehicle (EV) charging with hybrid heat pumps (HHP, air-source heat pumps supplemented with domestic gas boilers), solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and storage. The project has explored advanced strategies for exploiting demand flexibility to create new value propositions and manage peak load. Householder trust is a prerequisite for the success of new technologies and business models; trialists will be provided with tools to understand the operation of the hybrid heat pump and manage their heating bills.
The advancements in the smart grid flexibility are increasingly engaging the distributed prosumers (DPs), which are customer-owned resources that can produce and consume energy while interacting with the grid. A particular characteristic of these prosumers which makes them a suitable candidate for enhancing the grid flexibility is their high ramp rate. A new ancillary service product some USA independent system operators have launched, named flexible ramping product, enhances the flexibility of the grid by assuring sufficient ramp rates. This study proposes a novel framework for the participation of the DPs through a mediator (aggregator) in the day-ahead energy and flexibility markets. The proposed interaction framework is a bi-level optimisation, which by using the single-level mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions of the lower level optimisation is converted to a single-level MILP optimisation. To encourage the DPs to participate in this framework, the aggregator must assure each agent that their profitability will be higher than the profit they could make by trading energy based on distribution level energy tariffs. The simulation results verify the participating DPs and grid market operators both benefiting.
The uncertainties of renewable generation and energy prices in the market necessities flexible strategies in coordinating the energy in the integrated energy system (ES). In this study, the authors propose a price-based flexible coordination strategy for the generation company who owns combined heat and power, photovoltaic (PV) and ES to develop a day-ahead self-dispatch schedule. The objective function is to maximise the profit from coordination, including the profit from the day-ahead energy market and the profit from settling the deviated generation in the intra-day market. To hedge against uncertainties in wholesale energy prices, PV power output and load patterns, the interval optimisation formulations with a pessimistic degree for the decision maker are presented to cover all the feasible scenarios. Numerical analysis shows that the profit is enhanced via the proposed coordination strategy, which signifies the feasibility of the proposed method.
Smart grids are aimed at improving the operation, monitoring, and the control of the electricity networks. The deployment of distributed energy sources and electric vehicles changes the nature of the electric system and adds new challenges to its operation. The massive rollout of smart meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a first step in solving these challenges. AMI-based smart grids technologies must be carefully designed and tested before they may be deployed in the field, which requires appropriate methods and tools. Software simulations, although very useful at early design stage, are not sufficient at testing and validation stage: they may eventually fail to capture important features of the physical system under consideration. The aim of our work is to set up a hardware and software infrastructure that emulates a low-voltage "smart grid" network, both from the power and the communication perspectives, and to utilize it to realize proofs of concepts of some prototypical smart grid mechanisms
: This study offers an overview of the H2020 DOMINOES project, led by EMPOWER, which targets the development of new demand response, aggregation, grid management and peer-to-peer trading services by designing, developing and validating a transparent and scalable local energy market solution. Presenting the experience on the DOMINOES project and leverage simultaneously the experience from the past experiences associated with previous H2020 projects such as InteGrid and SENSIBLE, regarding the implementation of consumer ’ s engagement and targeting strategies, the impact of local energy markets will be analysed and the low-voltage consumer ’ s participation in flexibility markets will be evaluated. With the focus on the strategic engagement plan for consumers and communities, the relation that system operators and technologic providers can, both, benefit and enhance active participation in flexibility markets, this study will present a real and planned systematic analysis of how local energy markets will allow assessing the economic value of flexibility, and the innovative possibilities created when the engagement plan advocates the importance of active consumers supporting grid systems operators.
Time-series-based analysis of power systems requires long simulation times if the annual simulation of N–1 cases are to be analysed. Artificial neural networks can be trained to predict bus voltage magnitudes and line loadings to shorten these simulation times. In this study, the authors show how to reduce prediction errors by applying different data pre-processing methods including sampling methods, feature selection strategies, and scaling techniques. Results are shown for four realistic benchmark grids. The authors show that the maximum prediction error can be reduced by >30% when using pre-processing methods.
