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Abstract

Smart homes and virtual power plant (VPP) controls are growing fields of research with potential for improved electric power grid operation. A novel testbed for co-simulation of electric power distribution systems and distributed energy resources (DERs), is employed to evaluate VPP scenarios and propose an optimization procedure. DERs of specific interest include behind-the-meter (BTM) solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Simulation of HVAC systems is enabled by a machine learning procedure that produces ultra-fast models for electric power and indoor temperature of associated buildings that are up to 133 times faster than typical white-box implementations. Hundreds of these models, each with different properties, are randomly populated into a modified IEEE 123-bus test system to represent a typical U.S. community. Advanced VPP controls are developed based on the Consumer Technology 10 Association (CTA) 2045 standard to leverage HVAC systems as generalized energy storage (GES) 11 such that BTM solar PV is better utilized locally and occurrences of distribution system power peaks 12 are reduced, while also maintaining occupant thermal comfort. An optimization is performed to 13 determine best control settings for targeted peak power and total daily energy increase minimization 14 with example peak load reductions of 25+%.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Summer 6-2023

Notes/Citation Information

Jones, E. S., Alden, R. E., Gong, H., and Ionel, D. M., "Co-Simulation of Electric Power Distribution Systems and Buildings including Ultra-Fast HVAC Models and Optimal DER Control," Sustainability, Vol. 15, No. 12, 9433, doi:10.3390/su15129433, 20p (2023)

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3390/su15129433

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