Smart virtual energy storage control strategy to cope with uncertainties and increase renewable energy penetration

This paper presents novel methods for Demand Response (DR) programs in order to deal with operational uncertainties, such as wind energy and energy price of upstream network, within the framework of a smart Microgrid. Respectively, total loads of a typical Microgrid are classified into three major categories, each of which is represented by a typical load. The First category involves loads with energy storage capability, which is represented by heater loads. In this category, virtual energy storage capability are considered for some special loads. Second group comprises loads with shifting capability that represents by washing machines and the third category consists loads with curtailment capability, which is represented by lighting loads. Using the proposed DR methods, energy consumptions of all mentioned loads are coupled to amounts of wind energy and energy price of upstream network. These methods are applied to the operation of a typical Microgrid, which consists of a dispatchable supplier (microturbine), a non-dispatchable supplier (wind turbine) and an energy storage system. Moreover, the Microgrid has the capability of exchanging energy with upstream distribution network. In order to consider uncertainties, Monte-Carlo simulation method is used, in which various scenarios are generated and applied in the operation of the Microgrid. Finally, simulation results on the Microgrid demonstrate that implementing the proposed DR methods would lead to increasing the total operational profit of the Microgrid from $92 to $108 and also decreasing the risk of low profit. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.