Technical and Financial Impacts on Distribution Systems of Integrating Batteries Controlled by Uncoordinated Strategies

Abstract

This study assesses the technical and financial impacts on voltage levels, peak demand, and technical losses of distribution systems due to the integration of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) associated with photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG). It assumes that the BESS features (location and storage capacity) are chosen by consumers individually, aiming to directly benefit themselves according to self-consumption and price arbitrage uncoordinated control strategies. Computational simulations of several PVDG/BESS penetration levels in residential feeders of a Brazilian utility were performed via OpenDSS, employing real data of the load (consumption and load profiles) and photovoltaic generation (irradiance and temperature). We address the PVDG/BESS locations and the selection of solar irradiance, temperature, and load profile based on the Monte Carlo method. As the impacts on voltage levels, peak demand, and technical losses are expressed in different units, they were stochastically converted into monetary amounts to identify the control strategy that enhances the technical benefits in the distribution system. The results show that BESS installation with location, size, and control strategy defined by consumers creates technical benefits for the distribution system. The risk analysis allows us to conclude that price arbitrage should be prioritized in deciding incentives for penetration levels of up to 60%. Above these levels, self-consumption should be prioritized as an incentive. However, it is worth mentioning that the two strategies could be encouraged regardless of the penetration levels, as both create technical benefits for the distribution networks. The proposed method can support policy proposals to encourage BESS integration in distribution systems.