Decentralized Operation, Control, and Communications in Smart Grid

在未来的智能电网中，分布式能源(DER)的渗透率将会很高。DER的典型例子包括分布式发电(DG)单元，如光伏电池板和风力涡轮机，以及分布式存储(DS)单元，如电池、飞轮和具有车辆到电网功能的插电式电动汽车(PEV)。由于DER的集成主要发生在对成本敏感的配电系统和微电网中，因此建立对大量DG和DS机组的集中运行和控制是不可行的。另一方面，分散的操作和控制可以基于具有成本效益的无线网络和计算设备来应用，并且非常适合DER集成的即插即用性质。尽管有这些优点，但由于分布式发电机组的随机输出、分布式发电机组的缓冲效应以及无线通信介质上的通信延迟和分组丢失，在智能电网中通过无线通信开发分散运行和控制方案在技术上是具有挑战性的。 在Discovery研究计划中，将建立随机模型来评估分散DER运行对配电系统的影响，同时考虑DG机组的随机出力和DS机组的缓冲效应。在随机模型的基础上，对DER的运行进行优化，使DER的整体利用率最大化。此外，还将利用低成本的短距离无线网络促进DER之间的信息交换，在此基础上建立基于分布式共识的分布式DER控制，以提高微电网的稳定性。将设计创新的组网算法和异构网络架构，以提高微电网中无线通信的效率。 这项研究的跨学科性质将确定智能电网中高效和可靠的DER集成的新机会，否则这些机会在孤立的方法中是不可能的。它将为信息和通信技术(ICT)和电力行业创造新的知识和培训高素质的人才。

A high penetration level of distributed energy resources (DER) is expected in the future smart grid. Typical examples of DER include distributed generation (DG) units such as photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, and distributed storage (DS) units such as batteries, flywheels and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) with vehicle-to-grid capabilities. As the integration of DER mainly takes place in power distribution systems and microgrids which are cost-sensitive in nature, establishing centralized operation and control over a large number of DG and DS units becomes infeasible. On the other hand, decentralized operation and control can be applied based on cost-effective wireless networks and computing devices, and fit well to the plug-and-play nature of DER integration. Despite all the advantages, developing decentralized operation and control schemes via wireless communications in smart grid is technically challenging due to the random output of DG units, buffering effect of DS units, and communication delays and packet losses over a wireless communication medium. In this Discovery research program, stochastic models will be developed to assess the impact of decentralized DER operation on power distribution system, taking into account the random output of DG units and buffering effect of DS units. Based on the stochastic models, the operation of DER will be optimized to maximize the overall utilization. Moreover, low-cost short-range wireless networks will be leveraged to facilitate the information exchange among DER, based on which distributed consensus based decentralized DER control will be established to improve the stability of microgrid. Innovative networking algorithm and heterogeneous network architecture will be designed to improve the efficiency of wireless communications in microgrid.  The interdisciplinary nature of the research will identify new opportunities for efficient and reliable DER integration in smart grid that are otherwise impossible in isolated approaches. It will generate new knowledge and train highly qualified personnel (HQP) for both information and communication technology (ICT) and electric power industries.