Integration of smart grid mechanisms on microgrids energy modelling

Abstract

Due to security reasons, when assessing long-term planning in isolated microgrids, it is crucial to consider, the system's short-term variability. In this way, the need to develop modelling and planning decision-aid tools for grid managers, towards an optimal integration of renewable energy in isolated microgrids, is emerging. These tools shall combine short-term variability with long-term planning, while addressing multiple smart grid integration challenges.The present work proposes the evolution of an economic dispatch model to an integrated modelling tool, adding planning features. These consist in the implementation and sizing of different renewable and storage energy systems, and the development of demand scenarios, as the introduction of electric vehicles, demand response strategies, and/or residential efficiency measures. Levelized cost of electricity, operation costs, CO2 emissions and renewable shares are quantified.Terceira Island in Azores, is adopted as case study to validate the model. Results show that this tool has a great potential for supporting planning decisions, obtaining valuable parameters to analyze the proposed strategies, as the storage suitability, need of renewable curtailment or cost increase due to electric vehicles deployment. The integrated features allow understanding whether a new technology, besides being technically feasible, is economically viable with respect to the existing system.