Optimal utilization of energy storage in distribution systems

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Wind and solar are clean and secure energy sources, but are intermittent: their power outputs are difficult to predict and control. Energy storage can crucially absorb renewable energy intermittency and enhance the overall performance of power systems. In particularly, storage can provide multiple services such as load shifting, regulation, and voltage support. Effectively utilizing energy storage is a complex control problem that calls for new algorithms for (i) simultaneously providing multiple services with a single storage, and (ii) doing so with multiple storages in a coordinated, decentralized fashion. This timely application will provide the resources for a new research partnership with a leading electrical utility that is currently facing the above two challenges. Specifically, this proposal aims to construct tractable, rigorous algorithmic tools to providing multiple services with many geographically distributed energy storage devices. The proposed approach leverages powerful techniques from convex optimization and recent advances in control, including sparsity-promoting decentralized control. The results of the proposed work will enable utilities in Canada and worldwide to fully leverage energy storage, enabling cost-efficient utilization and future investment.