A virtual power plant optimal dispatch model with large and small-scale distributed renewable generation

Abstract

Volatility and sharp increases in the price of electricity are serious economic problems in the primary sector because they affect modernization investments for irrigation systems in Spain. This paper presents a new virtual power plant (VPP) model that integrates all available full-scale distributed renewable generation technologies. The proposed VPP operates as a single plant in the wholesale electricity market and aims to maximize profit from its operation to meet demand. Two levels of renewable energy integration in the VPP were considered: first, a wind farm and six hydroelectric power plants that inject the generated electricity directly to the distribution network, and second, on-site photovoltaic plants associated with each of the electricity supply points in the system that are designed to prioritize self-consumption. The proposed technicaleconomic dispatch model was developed as a mixed-integer optimization problem that determines the hourly operation of distributed large-scale renewable generation plants and on-site generation plants. The model was applied to real data from an irrigation system comprising a number of water pumping stations in Aragon (Spain). The results of the VPP model demonstrate the importance of the technical and economic management of all production facilities to significantly reduce grid dependence and final electricity costs.

Blockchain-Based Decentralized Virtual Power Plants of Small Prosumers

“…Modeling solutions for optimal scheduling are either deterministic or stochastic. The optimization problem is most of the time modeled as mixed-integer linear programming and used to assist VPP managers in making medium-term energy trading and increasing the profit [15], [16]. The stochastic solution considers factors such as the uncertainties about the prediction of market price, energy demand, or generation in the VPP's optimal operation.…”

Modelling of Consumption Shares for Small Wind Energy Prosumers

“…The European Union's energy policy plans to create 32% of power generation from renewable resources by 2030 [1]. Therefore, rising consideration is being offered to transforming energy from similar renewable resources, particularly solar, geothermal and wind [2]. However, these natural energy sources present challenges to electrical engineers and researchers on the mode of optimising energy extractions for on-site use, and its deployment as alternative to fossil energy sources [3,4].…”

Water-Energy Management for Demand Charges and Energy Cost Optimization of a Pumping Stations System under a Renewable Virtual Power Plant Model

“…Many studies in the literature have as their main objective the maximization of the operating profit of VPPs through the use of various optimization methods. Within the mathematical optimization methods, mixed-integer linear programming stands out [16][17][18][19][20][21], nonlinear programming [22][23][24][25], point estimate method (PEM) [26], or quadratic programming [27]. In contrast, other authors propose heuristic methods to obtain the optimal management of VPP resources [28,29].…”

“…On the other hand, from the perspective of the applicability of VPP models to real cases, articles [42,43] propose economic studies of VPPs in the German electricity market through an analysis based on scenarios and models. Recently, the authors of Reference [21] developed an optimal technical-economic dispatch model for a VPP that participates in the wholesale electricity market. The model is applied to a large irrigation system in Aragon (Spain) with electricity generation and demand of 200 GWh per year.…”