Power balancing aggregator design for industrial consumers using direct control

Abstract

Demand side management in the future smart grid requires new players in the electricity markets. We assume a player, the so-called aggregator which aims to utilize the flexibility in large-scale consumers with thermal energy storage. An aggregator design is proposed to mange the power consumption of flexible demands during a certain period of time. The setup consists of an MPC-like controller to optimally operate the consumption units for upward and downward regulating power provision. To handle the uncertainties arise from model mismatch, a series of feedback loop are also considered along with the central optimization. We formulate the problem for two specific case studies which are supermarket refrigeration systems and chiller systems in conjunction with ice tanks. Simulation results are provided for these specific consumers.