Demand side load leveling using distributed micro energy and storage systems with the establishment of micro grids

Abstract

This paper presents a bottom up approach for the peak load leveling of the Residential Distribution Feeder, by establishing local Microgrids. Which utilizes the sources within the Microgrid to reduce the dependence of the Distribution feeder on the maingrid during peak hours. The Microgrid presented here is mainly configured to use locally distributed Microenergy and Storage systems like Rooftop Solar Photo voltaics, Home-UPS systems(with an additional circuitry), Domestic wind turbines, Micro Renewable Energy sources as a source subsystem. The Micro grid exploits the potential of these resources by combining and controlling them appropriately using communication, Information Technology, Intelligent Algorithms and Advanced Metering Infrastructure. Each of the micro energy sources will be connected through inverters connected in parallel to the Microgrid forming a Parallel Inverter Source Subsystem(PISS). The Droop current sharing technique has been adopted for this PISS. A Threshold value of load is selected, above normal load usage based on the desired leveling. Each Microgrid will be governed by a decisive node known as Gravity node. This Node will switch the loads based on the Threshold value between the PISS and main grid using the Load Optimization Algorithm. This is Implemented and Simulated using MATLAB with a mock data of Load Samples. The Algorithm makes use of the input parameters like load usage history and load frequency for switching. By extending this concept of the Microgrids to other feeders the load demand on the main grid can be made more uniform. A resulting utility architecture composed of such supportive Microgrids is presented here.