Demand response integration in microgrid planning as a strategy for energy transition in power systems

Abstract

For a long time, the planning of power systems has considered technical and economic aspects related to Supply Side Management. Given that this traditional planning approach is not very flexible, and due to new technological trends like the adoption of smart grids, it has become necessary for demand to play an active role in the operation of power systems. This raises the need to implement a new process for power system planning, focusing on technologies such as microgrids with Demand Side Management, which contribute to the sustainable development of communities. In this paper, a comprehensive review of microgrid planning, considering energy end‐user participation through Demand Response, is carried out. In addition, the main features and implications of Demand Response programs in microgrid planning are presented. As a contribution, in order to trigger a paradigm shift on how power systems are planned, the benefits of bottom‐up microgrid planning are presented.

Impacts of the Inclusion of Distributed Generation on Congestion of Distribution Networks and in the Islanding Operation Capability

“…To achieve microgrids effective deployment in modern energy systems, they must overcome several technical, regulatory, economic, and social problems. On the other hand, some standards and regulations promote the integration of DERs into the electricity grid; but, only a few specifically address the integration of microgrids, so adequate regulatory support is necessary for these [5].…”

“…For safe operation, the microgrid transition between connected mode and island operation mode must not lead to service interruption or stability problems; also, the microgrid must guarantee adequate power quality, frequency, and voltage for consumers. An additional challenge is to reach an agreement between all the stakeholders immersed in the microgrid operation, that is, the community, the network operator, the government, and the owners of the generators [5].…”

“…The main operational and management problems related to microgrids' operation are [5]: (A) Power quality must be maintained in the short term through the proper balance of active and reactive power, (B) the microgrid must operate isolated in regions where the supply of public services is not available; therefore, it must be able to take advantage of local energy resources, (C) Planning of the generation, supply, and storage of energy needs to consider the load curve of the microgrid and the long-term energy balance since any unbalance between generation and demand can lead the system to complete disconnection, (D) Contingency analysis and planning of emergency operation are essential to maintain the security of supply (such as demand-side management, load shedding, island or shutdown of any unit), (E) In contingency conditions, an economic reprogramming of the generation must be performed to maintain continuous supply at least at the priority loads, and to maintain the voltage and frequency of the load between operational limits, and (F) adequate telecommunications infrastructures and communication protocols must be employed for the management, protection, and control of the microgrid.…”

“…The implementation of these microgrids capable of supplying the island operation capability ancillary service seeks to solve the need for a more flexible, efficient, and reliable electrical distribution system while reducing the environmental impact and the congestion of the network and encouraging demand participation [5], [7]. Nevertheless, for a system that operates in island mode to be able to provide the above-mentioned benefits and be sustainable in a long-term scenario, the operating guidelines must be adapted to the context of the network, so it is necessary to analyze and determine the technical parameters of the assets immersed in the network, the energy potentials of the zone, the behavior of the connected users, and the regulatory policies that apply to each particular case [6], [8].…”

On the Value of Community Association for Microgrid Development: Learnings from Multiple Deterministic and Stochastic Planning Designs

“…Microgrids are defined as small electrical power systems that incorporate distributed generation, storage systems and controllable loads, as well as information and communication technologies for the local management of energy resources [3]. They have the ability to operate both connected to the electricity grid and in islanded mode, for example, in the event of a contingency in the electricity grid [4].…”