Microgrid distributed energy resources planning based on a long-term dynamic microsimulation

Abstract

In this paper, we study a DERs simulation platform that can adapt to dynamic infrastructure changes. We present a long-term dynamic-planning simulation platform focused on DERs based on MATLAB and TCP/IP network communication via GridLAB-D. This platform can capture critical features of DERs by combining MATLAB’s ability to optimize control with GridLAB-D’s capacity for accurate and discrete event-based microsimulations. The proposed platform architecture is divided into inner and outer layers. The outer layer simulates changes in the external environment (i.e., changes in load level as well as the price of diesel fuel and planned equipment components) and equipment characteristics (i.e., the running lives of batteries and diesel generators). These features provide dynamic scenarios and re-planning boundary conditions that can be used to inform the inner layer simulation. The inner layer presents an operational simulation of the planned microgrid that leverages day-ahead scheduling and the real-time adjustments associated with uncertainties in DER output. Simulation results have shown our proposed planning scheme will result in increased profits and improved resource utilization efficiency during the entire 10-year cycle. Compared to traditional planning scheme, our proposed planning scheme can perform dynamic adjustments to the configuration of various DERs according to changing external factors and network conditions.