Dynamic Coalitions of Prosumers in Virtual Power Plants for Energy Trading and Profit Optimization

Abstract

Energy systems are becoming more oriented to a local scale, combining the self-provision of local communities with the delivery of services to the main grid. Distributed approaches are being developed to facilitate the transition towards decentralized, community-driven energy systems which contribute to the integration of renewables in existing power systems. In this paper, we present results from the ongoing research project eDREAM, which aims to provide flexibility on grid operation, support the integration of renewables, and develop strategies to manage energy storage systems. In particular, we propose an optimization problem tailored to optimize profits from energy trading in Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). A prototype has been implemented and it proved to be effective in optimizing the prosumers' pool and selecting the optimal subset for the coalition, taking as input the energy price during the time interval in which the coalition is being constructed.