A hierarchical demand-side management system for MV networks with high RES penetration

This paper presents a hierarchical demand-side management (DSM) system designed for medium-voltage (MV) networks with high penetration of renewable energy sources (RES). The system is formed by extending an existing system designed for DSM of electric water heaters in low-voltage (LV) networks. The proposed extension introduces additional control layer which coordinates operation of LV DSM systems located in the examined MV distribution network. The objective is to maximize local consumption of the energy produced by RES and level the transmission profile at the interconnection of the MV and the HV networks. The performance of the proposed system is tested in simulations on a part of MV distribution network in the Czech Republic. The simulations show that the proposed system is capable of significantly increasing local consumption of energy produced by RES. The simulations also demonstrate advantages of coordinated dispatch of LV DSM systems over the case when they are operated autonomously since the former allows to fully exploit demand-side potential of LV areas with low amount of installed RES.