Performance Evaluation of an Advanced Distributed Energy Resource Management Algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents performance evaluation of a new distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) algorithm via an advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform. The HIL platform provides realistic testing in a laboratory environment, including the accurate modeling of sub-transmission and distribution networks, the DERMS software controller, and 84 power hardware solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters, standard communication protocols, and a capacitor bank controller. The DERMS algorithm is also called, Grid-Optimization of Solar (GO-Solar) platform which includes predictive state estimation (PSE) and online multiple objective optimization (OMOO) to dispatch the legacy devices and distributed energy resources (e.g., PV). The voltage regulation performance is evaluated under three scenarios, volt-var smart inverter (baseline), and DERMS control for 100% and 30% of PV. The results show that controlling 30% of PV systems with the GO-Solar platform may provide the best balance of control performance and implementation cost.

Distributed Energy Resources Management System (DERMS) and Its Coordination with Transmission System: A Review and Co-Simulation

“…The objective of the proposed DERMS solution is to manage DERs while avoiding reverse power flow and reducing peak demand at the point of connection to the upper grid. Another HIL platform is formed to evaluate the voltage regulation performance of the DERMS in the presence of hardware inverters [36,38,39] and grid-edge devices [40]. A co-simulation approach is utilized to simulate the distribution grid using the quasi-steadystate power flow solver, OpenDSS, and OPAL-RT real-time simulator.…”

“…A co-simulation approach is utilized to simulate the distribution grid using the quasi-steadystate power flow solver, OpenDSS, and OPAL-RT real-time simulator. Additionally, the authors in [38] have expanded the proposed HIL testbed in [36] by increasing the hardware inverter devices with the goal of voltage regulation. The Hierarchical Engine for Largescale Infrastructure Co-Simulation (HELICS) is utilized to coordinate the co-simulation procedure, merge all the software and hardware, and synchronize them.…”

Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) Grid Optimization with Solar (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report)

“…Figure 2 shows the integrated GO-Solar platform. HIL testing that integrates 100 physical DER hardware was conducted at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) to assess the performance of the GO-Solar framework using real utility system data from HECO and commercial off-the-shelf inverters and other devices at power [6], [7]. The main elements of the HIL platform include a HELICS-based [8] cosimulation to capture larger system interactions with OpenDSS [9], the GO-Solar control platform, an Opal-RT-based power HIL (90 DER inverters, grid simulators, sensors, and PV emulators), and a ModBus communication interface to communicate to the devices using protocols commonly found in the field.…”

“…The four no-baseline PHIL testing cases represented a full factorial combination of with/without battery inverters and level of PVs control: full control (100%) and only 30% PVs controlled. The HIL testing results show that while the GO-Solar platform controlling 100% PVs provides the best voltage regulation performance, voltage performance improvements are also seen with only 30% control [7].…”