Investigation of energy storage system and demand side response for distribution networks

Abstract

The UK government has a target of achieving an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions with respect to the values from 1990 by 2050. Therefore, renewables based distributed generations (DGs) coupled with substantial electrification of the transport and heat sectors though low carbon technologies (LCTs), will be essential to achieve this target. The anticipated proliferation of these technologies will necessitate major opportunities and challenges to the operation and planning of future distribution networks. Smartgrid technologies and techniques, such as energy storage systems (ESSs), demand side response (DSR) and real time thermal ratings (RTTRs), provide flexible, economic and expandable solutions to these challenges without resorting to network reinforcement. This research investigates the use of ESS and DSR in future distribution networks to facilitate LCTs with a focus on the management and resolution of thermal constraints and steady state voltage limit violation problems. Firstly, two control schemes based on sensitivity factors and cost sensitivity factors are proposed. Next, the impacts of a range of sources of uncertainties, arising from existing and future elements of the electrical energy system, are studied. The impacts of electric vehicle charging are investigated with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Furthermore, to deal with uncertainties efficiently, a scheduling scheme based on robust optimization (RO) is developed. Two approaches have been introduced to estimate the trade-off between the cost and the probability of constraint violations. Finally, the performance of this scheme is evaluated. The results of this research show the importance of dealing with uncertainties appropriately. Simulation results demonstrate the capability and effectiveness of the proposed RO based scheduling scheme to facilitate DG and LCTs, in the presence of a range of source of uncertainties. The findings from this research provide valuable solution and guidance to facilitate DG and LCTs using ESS, DSR and RTTR in future distribution networks.