Evaluation of finite horizon active network management

Decarbonisation of the electricity system is driving a substantial growth in renewable energy developments. High penetration levels of intermittent and spatially variable renewable energy resources have brought about a need to evolve the passive operating principles of conventional electricity distribution networks. New solver architecture and a software environment have been developed to incorporate new active network management techniques and perform time-sequential power flow resolutions simulating future `real time´ network operation. Critical evaluation of the technical, economic and environmental benefits of evolved system control can be performed in the new approach to power systems modelling. This work investigates the time-wise design choices of centralised and synergetic, community based network control schemes using steady state `optimal´ network set points. Here we show that steady state analysis of new distribution network control schemes are unlikely to truly maximise the capacity, energy yield and system response of distribution networks. The system has shown conventional low frequency control scheduling to be outdated in dealing with enhanced penetrations of rapidly changing renewable energy resources. Transitioning to high resolution finite horizon control scheduling is equally inefficient as it introduces large levels of hysteresis and poor continuity of network control. A means is also discussed to evolve steady-state finite horizon distribution network control to real time receding horizon analysis.