Controlling consumption to reduce stress on grid infrastructure while enhancing PV penetration

Abstract

Due to the increasing profitability of photovoltaic systems, the penetration of decentralized domestic photovoltaic energy sources is growing. Contrarily to conventional energy sources, photovoltaic systems cannot be entirely controlled to meet the consumption. Their production can namely be cut-off, but cannot be increased. In a traditional grid, the production must follow the consumption at all times in order to keep frequency and voltage in a desirable range, but in a context of massive integration of renewable sources, it is preferable that consumption follows renewable production. This paper investigates how day-ahead consumption control strategies can reduce constraints on grid infrastructure, while increasing the penetration rate of decentralized photovoltaic. A method based on linear programming is applied to schedule day-ahead the operating schedules of household appliances in a residential microgrid. The obtained results illustrate how a smart microgrid can increase its profitability and provide energy management services such as peak-shaving or load-levelling.