This paper formulates a time-varying social-welfare maximization problem for distribution grids with distributed energy resources (DERs) and develops online distributed algorithms to identify (and track) its solutions. In the considered setting, network operator and DER-owners pursue given operational and economic objectives, while concurrently ensuring that voltages are within prescribed limit...

Greater penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in power networks requires coordination strategies that allow for self-adjustment of contributions in a network of DERs, owing to variability in generation and demand. In this article, a distributed scheme is proposed that enables a DER in a network to arrive at viable power reference commands that satisfies the DERs local constraints o...

A virtual power plant (VPP) is a special virtual unit that integrates various distributed energy resources (DERs) distributed in the generation and consumption sides. The optimal configuration scheme of the VPP needs to break the geographical restrictions to make full use of DERs, considering the uncertainties. First, the components of the DERs and the structure of the VPP are briefly introduce...

THE successful integration of renewable energy into the power grid is expected to reduce the dependence of the grid on the fossil fuels. The potential renewable energy resources include light, wind, vibration, heat, biofuel, biomass, and tides [1], [2]. It is envisaged that the use of renewable energy will reduce the use of traditional energy resources, such as nuclear, oil, and gas, in the fut...

Microgrids (MGs) usually consist of several types of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) like renewable and conventional generation units, energy storages and responsive loads. In order to operate the MG with minimum cost and maximum reliably, an integrated scheduling model of DERs should be implemented. In this paper, an operational planning model of a MG which considers Demand Response (DR) a...

DC loads (such as computers, data centres, electric vehicle chargers, and LED lamps) and dc distributed energy resources (such as fuel cells, solar photovoltaics, and energy storages) are rapidly growing in electric power systems, so dc systems are being introduced as emerging practical investment solutions compared to traditional ac options. DC microgrids offer several advantages such as the e...

In this paper, we present a conceptual study on a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) architecture for the optimal management of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) owned by prosumers participating in Demand-Side Management (DSM) programs. Compared to classical VPP architectures, which aim to aggregate several DERs dispersed throughout the electrical grid, in the proposed VPP architecture the supervised ...

Due to the volatile nature of wind and photovoltaic power, wind farms and solar stations are generally thought of as the consumers of ramping services. However, a microgrid (MG) is able to strategically integrate various distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide both energy and ancillary services (ASs) for the bulk power system. To evaluate the ramping capabilities of an MG in the joint en...

Energy systems integration combines energy carriers, including electricity, with infrastructures, to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. In order to study systems at a variety of physical scales—from individual buildings to distribution systems—interconnected through these energy infrastructures, NREL is developing an Integrated Energy System Model (IESM), with an initial focus on the elect...