Distributed stochastic energy coordination for residential prosumers: Framework and implementation

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of energy coordination among customers in a local energy market to meet heating needs. Accordingly, this paper proposes a demand response framework for the energy coordination of multiple residential prosumers in a hierarchical coordination game-theoretic scenario. That consists of a benevolent coordinator and multiple residential prosumers integrated with solar PV under demand uncertainties as a consequence of forecasting errors in weather data and non-shiftable load. The coordinator and customers are considered to be a leader and various followers, respectively. The coordinator employs a cost-shared strategy to reduce peak demand. Customers maximize individual welfare by employing stochastic programming through demand flexibility realized via electric baseboard heaters and electric thermal storage. Subsequently, the proposed strategy is implemented through a cyber–physical infrastructure incorporating a distributed computing platform with embedded systems and extensive simulations using accurate weather and real-life energy consumption data. A comparative analysis is performed using a deterministic baseline with perfect information, i.e. no forecasting errors. In addition, the proposed mechanism is tested on an adapted CIGRE low-voltage benchmark system. Simulation results demonstrate the techno-economical feasibility of the proposed solution in uncertain environments. Furthermore, they recommend practical strategies for short-term planning of grids highly penetrated by renewables and intelligent devices by increasing their flexibility and leveraging salient features of cyber–physical systems.