Integration of energy storage in distribution secondary networks to enable high-depth of penetration of distribution generation

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Climate change issues, environmental concerns associated with the central power plants, volatility of energy cost, deregulation of the electric utility industry, the need for resource diversity, and favorable governments' energy policies have resulted in emergence and commercial viability of various types of alternative and renewable energy resources for integration in the utility power grid infrastructure in the form of distributed generation (DG) units. A DG unit is a relatively small-size unit, such as a residential roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) unit. A considerable portion of future global investment in sustainable energy and energy efficiency technologies, specifically in developed countries, are directly linked to and impacted by the potential for high-depth of integration of such DG units in the exisiting electric power delivery infrastructure. This research is to facilitate high-depth of penetration of DG units in utility grids. One of the options for integration of DG units is in the distribution secondary networks. A secondary distribution network provides electrical connection between the utility distribution system and the electric power end users in the central (downtown) areas of large cities, such as the city of Toronto. A secondary distribution network, by design, permits only unidirectional electric power flow from the primary utility grid to the secondary network. This technical characteristic significantly limits the number of DG units that can be integrated in residential units that are supplied by the secondary network. Thus limits the level of integration and utilization of DG units, such as residential solar-PV units. This main objective of this research is to overcome this technical limitation and enable the secondary network to accommodate high-depth of integration of DG units. To achieve the objective, we will investigate utilization of new technologies in utility grade storage systems and advanced control strategies for power distribution systems.