Design and Simulation of an Energy Homeostaticity System for Electric and Thermal Power Management in a Building with Smart Microgrid

Abstract

Nowadays, microgrids are gaining importance in electric power generation and distribution environments due to their flexibility, versatility, scalability and the possibility of supplying ancillary services when connected to the grid. They allow for the customization of electric supply for very different types of consumers. Therefore, a new control model for power and energy management based on homeostaticity of electric power systems (EPS) is presented, which has been already analyzed and approved by ENEL Chile in its developmental stage. ENEL, the largest electric utility in the country, is interested in incorporating smart microgrids in the electricity distribution market, as part of a worldwide policy. Such microgrids are to be installed in buildings serviced by ENEL. To demonstrate the model’s utility, a Simulink model of a real microgrid is used, which is comprised of PV generation, energy storage, an air conditioning (AC) equipment and thermal storage of the building upon which the microgrid is installed. The behavior of every element is simulated, including the dynamic thermal model of the building in order to optimize energy management and power supply versus consumption. The behavior of the whole system is analyzed under different environmental profiles and energy consumption patterns using the proposed homeostaticity system.

Grid-Tied Distributed Generation Systems to Sustain the Smart Grid Transformation: Tariff Analysis and Generation Sharing

“…SES actions are based on the situational awareness and degree of criticality-both having a distinct power-quality footprint being exhibited by the system. The solution to this challenge has been designed and developed based on energy homeostasis principles [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] and engineered in form of what has been termed and conceptualized as energy homeostaticity in the literature [16][17][18]. Homeostaticity in energy systems is that property, designed and engineered in the energy system itself, which seeks 1) to restore the system from a systemic imbalance or disruption that has altered its normal or steady state mode of operation, and 2) to bring about a rapid, effective and efficient state of equilibrium between the energy supply and the energy expenditure (consumption by the loads) at all times, whatever the circumstances, to preserve and maintain stability of operation in the energy system.…”

“…Homeostaticity in energy systems is that property, designed and engineered in the energy system itself, which seeks 1) to restore the system from a systemic imbalance or disruption that has altered its normal or steady state mode of operation, and 2) to bring about a rapid, effective and efficient state of equilibrium between the energy supply and the energy expenditure (consumption by the loads) at all times, whatever the circumstances, to preserve and maintain stability of operation in the energy system. It basically incorporates artificial intelligence and especially designed, community-specific intelligent control algorithms that are built to encompass a HC system [16][17][18]. Thus, the SES is operated as a function of adverse system conditions and environmental challenges being sensed by the energy system and represented by the awareness and criticality variable α.…”

“…Among the rates offered by the local electricity company, described in a previous section, only BT-1 tariffs and a Flexible Electric Tariff (THR) are competitive for levels and consumption characteristics Please note that month p denotes a Winter month (from April to September) and month op denotes a Summer month, (from October to March). Hence, the costs are calculated for each season separately as shown in Equations (15) and (16):…”

“…Other researchers have done research quite extensively on this very subject, advocating for different schemes of energy consumption and energy sharing made possible by novel energy management and power control systems based on energy homeostasis, providing insight into various forms and scenarios of DSM. Both energy homeostasis and energy sharing are key to these new schemes so as to incentivize the production of renewable energy at different scales, coupled with the grid supply, and under tariff schemes which clearly entice prosumers to enhance their behavior, provided that there are appropriate economic incentives for advancing such schemes not only in the residential sector, but also in the commercial and industrial sectors as well, making them attractive amongst consumers [16][17][18]. As a matter of fact, there are already incentives in Chile, provided by the net metering law 20,571 enacted in 2014 [19], which provides appropriate economic benefits for those willing to install and generate electricity through on-grid distributed generation systems (DGS) although not addressing the tariff differentiation issue.…”

“…The chief aim of the electric utility is to clearly identify and characterize electric consumption profiles, particularly amongst residential consumers, so as to be able to distinguish those customers who are more intensive in power consumption during these daily hourly blocks as well as their behavior during specific times of the year, from those who are less intensive and who also exhibit a rather thrifty behavior when it comes to energy consumption [20][21][22]. Those who collaborate and maintain a rather more stable, thrifty, and regular energy consumption-especially during peak hours of the day and also during periods of the year when extreme demand for electricity occurs-are entitled to be rewarded by having a lower electric tariff [15][16][17][18]. This distinct changes in power versus energy consumption are clearly monitored and recorded regularly by the electric utilities in some way or fashion, depending on the particulars of the operations management models and regulations that exist in each country [20][21][22].…”