Sustainable Operation of Active Distribution Networks

The present and future conditions in the energy market impose extremely high standards to the operation of building energy systems. Moreover, distribution networks face new operational and technical challenges as a result of the rapid penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) and other forms of distributed generation. Consequently, active distribution networks (ADNs) will play a crucial role in the exploitation of smart building prosumers, smart grids, and RES. In this paper, an optimization method for the sustainable operation of active distribution networks hosting smart residential building prosumers, plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) aggregators, and RES was developed. The thermal and electrical loads of the residential buildings were modeled in detail and an aggregation method was implemented to the hosted PEVs. Moreover, smart power dispatch techniques were applied at each building prosumer and PEV aggregator hosted by the active distribution network. Simultaneously, all the operational limitations of the active distribution network, building energy systems, and the hosted PEVs were satisfied. The constrained optimal power flow (OPF) algorithm was exploited to keep the voltages of the hosting distribution network between the permissible bounds. A significant operation cost reduction of 17% was achieved. The developed models were verified through detailed simulation results.