Air conditioner direct load control in distribution networks

In order to use loads in an active and intelligent way to resolve technical problems in the networks or contribute to ancillary services, this paper presents a development of air-conditioning control that allows to reduce the peak consumption by maintaining thermal comforts. This control is based on the variable set-point temperature of air conditioning adapted to the permissible power. This power can be fixed by outdoor signal from DNO (distribution network operators). The proposed air-conditioning control is tested by simulation under EMTP-RV with satisfied results for a distribution network containing air-conditioners. Different factors such as: weather conditions, the thermal parameters of buildings and other residential loads (lightning, freezer, refrigerator, cooker, washing-machine ...) are taken into account. These results show that the proposed solution can be efficiently applied for a group of loads, buildings (such as a virtual consumer) in distribution networks in order to reduce the peak consumption in the distribution network.