Utility DERMS for Active Management of Emerging Distribution Grids with High Penetration of Renewable DERs

Luka Strezoski,Izabela Stefani

doi:10.3390/electronics10162027

Luka Strezoski, Izabela Stefani

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10162027

Copy DOI

Journal: Electronics	Publication Date: Aug 21, 2021
Citations: 12	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Novi Sad

Abstract

Operational and planning challenges caused by ever-increasing integration of electronically coupled renewable distributed energy resources (DERs) have become a reality all over the globe. These challenges range from technical constraint violations to malfunctional setting and coordination of the protective equipment and inaccurate operational planning. Moreover, to enable the preconditions for the integration of high penetration of renewable DERs, utilities are faced with potentially huge investment requirements in strengthening the grid assets. However, recent advances in specialized software solutions for integration and active management of high penetration of DERs could turn these challenges into operational and monetary benefits. Hence, if planned, managed, and operated in an optimal way, the high penetration of DERs could be a valuable resource for increasing the efficiency of the overall management of distribution grids. Utility distributed energy resource management systems (utility DERMSs) aim to provide all of these capabilities integrated into a single software solution. In this paper, a utility DERMS concept is introduced, and the capabilities of state-of-the-art utility DERMS solutions for helping the key stakeholders to pave the way towards stable, optimal, and secure emerging distribution systems with high penetration of electronically coupled renewable DERs are explored.

Highlights

The traditional method of producing electric power and supplying it to the end customers was straightforward: The electricity was produced in bulk by large power plants, transmitted through high-voltage lines to the supply stations, and distributed to end customers through distribution lines
Power flows at the distribution system level were in one top-down direction—from the supply station to the end customers— with a predictable voltage drop occurring along the feeders
The main aims of the paper are to draw the attention of the power system community and industry to the novel concept of DERMSs; to clearly distinguish between various different software hierarchies that are often called DERMSs, but have vastly different capabilities and goals; and, to present how DERMS solutions can work in coherence and, if intelligently used, can enable a much-needed distribution network operators (DNOs)-to-distribution system operators (DSOs) transformation

Summary

Introduction

The traditional method of producing electric power and supplying it to the end customers was straightforward: The electricity was produced in bulk by large power plants, transmitted through high-voltage lines to the supply stations, and distributed to end customers through distribution lines. Power flows at the distribution system level were in one top-down direction—from the supply station to the end customers— with a predictable voltage drop occurring along the feeders. The traditional voltage-regulating devices (load tap changers, voltage regulators, capacitor banks, etc.) were located at predefined positions, and were fully able to maintain voltages within the required boundaries [1,2,3,4]. Distribution protection, control, and metering were handled by electromechanical devices, and almost no automation existed at the traditional distribution systems’ level [1,2,3,4]. Distribution network operators (DNOs) at that time were fully able to manage their corresponding grids manually, applying traditional paper-driven processes, without the need for almost any interactive action in real time [1,2,3,4,5]

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion