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Simulation of Smart Grid power dispatch

Conference Paper · June 2017

DOI: 10.1109/EMES.2017.7980376

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 Simulation of Smart Grid Power Dispatch
1
Lucian Ioan DULĂU, 2Dorin BICĂ
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
“Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu-Mureş
Tîrgu-Mureş, Romania
1
lucian.dulau@ing.upm.ro, 2dorin.bica@ing.upm.ro

Abstract—This paper presents the simulation of a smart grid A typical smart grid consists of numerous power generating
power dispatch. Smart Grids can be defined as a modern power units and power consuming entities, all connected through a
system that monitors, protects and automatically optimizes the two-way communication network. The two-way
operation of its interconnected elements (central and distributed communication network is used for sensing, monitoring, and
generators, transmission and distribution network, industrial dispersion of information on power generation and
consumers, energy storage devices and end-use consumers). The consumption. An example of communication architecture in a
simulation is performed for a test system that comprises four smart grid is presented in Fig. 1.
generators and one battery storage device considering the load
power demand. The power dispatch is performed for the whole
day. The power dispatch is performed according to the ascending
power production cost of the generating units.

Keywords—smart grids; economic dispatch; power dispatch;

dispatch order; power system simulation

I. INTRODUCTION
Today grids are facing serious environmental, financial and
operational challenges. In order to overcome these problems
today's grids must be modernized using state-of-the-art
technologies to significantly improve the reliability, efficiency,
security and quality of the delivered power. Additionally, new
grids must consider the environment by using distributed
generation sources (renewable energy sources and cogeneration
units), which are usually connected at the distribution system
level, in order to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions.
Moreover, this grid must be more consumer-interactive,
allowing the customer to control and monitor the amount of
power consumption through the modern technologies. This grid
is named intelligent grid or Smart Grids (SG), but the second
term is more commonly used.[1-15]
The benefits of smart grids are:
 integrates consumers as active players in the power
system;
 improves the physical and economic operation of the
power system by making it more sustainable and
robust;
Fig. 1. An example of communication architecture in smart grids.[1]
The two-way communication in smart grids allows the
dynamic monitoring of the power use, but also opens up
possibilities of automated scheduling of electricity use.
In this paper is presented a simulation of a Smart Grid
power dispatch for a system. The system comprises four
generators, a storage unit and a load. The power dispatch will
be performed for the whole day. The power dispatch will be
performed according to the ascending power production cost of
the generating units.
II. OVERVIEW OF SMART GRIDS
The Smart Grids (SG) is the power system that is able to
rapidly detect, analyze and respond to various perturbations by
integrating intelligent devices, advanced control method and
digital telecommunication on electrical network.[4,5]

 allows cost savings, achieved by reducing peaks in
power demand;
 voltage regulation and load following enables reducing
cost of operations based on marginal production costs;
 the balance between generation and consumption is
optimized in order to achieve an increased
efficiency.[13]
Smart Grids can be defined as a modernization of the power
system so it monitors, protects and automatically optimizes the
operation of its interconnected elements – from the central and
distributed generator through the high-voltage network and
distribution system, to industrial consumers and building
automation systems, to energy storage installations and to end-
use consumers including their thermostats, electric vehicles,
appliances and other household devices.[4,9]
 The basic structure of a Smart Grid is presented in Fig. 2. For achieving these objectives, the SG has to adjust with
generation and if its possible storage with availability
whenever and wherever called for, self-healing mechanism in
the face of disturbance, optimum utilization of assets achieving
high level of efficiency in operation, while the consumer
should get high-quality power. Extensive usage of
communication technology on real-time basis is an essential
feature for achieving success in the matter considering the
demand-supply scenario accurately at every instant.[1-14]
The main devices that are used in a SG include:
 smart metering devices- support acquiring data to
evaluate the health and integrity of the grid and support
automatic meter reading, elimination of billing
estimates and prevent energy theft;
 integrated communications devices- these include data
Fig. 2. Smart Grids structure.[12]
acquisition, protection, and control, which enable users
The SG main characteristics are: to interact with intelligent electronic devices in an
integrated system;
 consumer participation (enables and motivates active
participation by consumers);  home area network devices- enables consumers to
better manage their electricity consumption and costs
 accommodate generation options (accommodates all using new smart appliances and devices located at the
generation and energy storage options); customer's premises;
 enable electricity market (enables new products,  in-home devices- these include communicating
services, and markets); thermostats, load control switches, and electric vehicle
(EV) charging stations, which help consumers to
 high-quality power (provides the quality of power manage their energy use;
required for the digital, computer, and communication-
based economy);  network infrastructure- this comprises grid routers and
signal repeaters, wireless sensors and mobile control
 optimize assets (operates efficiently and optimizes the devices, which enable utilities and consumers to cost-
utilization of existing and new assets); effectively network their grid devices and monitor and
 self-healing (anticipates and responds to system manage energy use;
disturbances in a self-healing manner);  energy storage devices- is accomplished by devices
 resists attack (operates resiliently against attack and that store energy to perform useful operation at a later
natural disaster).[1-14] time.[4]

A smart grid is reliable, feasible, secure, efficient, In Table I is presented a comparison between the
economic and environment friendly. characteristics of the classic power grid and Smart Grids.

The objectives of smart grid operation and control are:

TABLE I. COMPARISON OF CLASSIC GRID AND SMART GRIDS
 to address the challenges that secure and reliable CHARACTERISTICS [4]
operation of the power grids will face in the future; Classic Grid Smart Grids
 to develop a solid interdisciplinary theoretical One way power flow Bidirectional power flow (two
way power flow)
foundation supporting development of better tools for Unidirectional communication Bidirectional communication
planning, operation, and control of power grids
interconnected at various voltage levels; Passive customer (inefficient Interactive customer (efficient
Demand Response) Demand Response)
 to innovate in power distribution monitoring and Centralized power generation Distributed renewable generation
control; Manual operation Automated operation
 to enable consumers to react to grid conditions making Prediction operation (matching of Real time operation (matching of
them active participants in their energy use; supply and demand based on supply and demand based on real
forecast and historical time information)
 to leverage conventional generation and emerging information)
technologies when possible including distributed Fossil fuel based power generation Environmentally friendly
energy resources, demand response, and energy generation
storage, to address the challenges introduced by Conventional household Smart appliances
variable renewable resources.[1-14] appliances
 III. CASE STUDY
140
The simulation will be performed for the test system
presented in Fig. 3 that comprises four generators and one 120

Power demand [MW]

battery storage device (a 3.2 MW hydrogen storage unit),
considering the power demand of the load. One of the 100
generators is a photovoltaic (PV) power plant. 80
60

40

20

10

13

16

19

22
1

7
Hour [h]

Fig. 5. Load power demand.

The power dispatch will be performed for the whole day for
two situations:
Fig. 3. One line diagram of the system.
 the PV power plant is connected to the grid;
In Table II are presented the generators data.  the PV power plant is not connected to the grid.
The power dispatch simulation is performed using the
TABLE II. GENERATORS DATA
CitectSCADA software [16].
Generator Pmin Pmax a b c
(MW) (MW) ($/(MWh)2) ($/MWh) ($/h) The power dispatch is performed according to the
Generator 1 0 40 0.005 50.45 105 ascending power production cost (“b” coefficient from table
II). The generators dispatch order is presented in Table III and
Generator 2 0 35 0.05 60.51 44.1 Table IV, with the remark that the PV power plant will be
Generator 3 0 45 0.05 60.89 40.6 dispatched first if it is connected to the grid considering its
variable power output. The storage unit is dispatched if the
Generator 4 0 5 0 80.11 0
system generating units can’t cover the load demand.
(PV power
plant)
TABLE III. GENERATORS DISPATCH ORDER (PV POWER PLANT
CONNECTED TO THE GRID)
The PV power plant output for the whole day is presented
in Fig. 4. Generator Generator b
order ($/MWh)
1st Generator 4 80.11
6 2nd Generator 1 50.45

5 3 rd
Generator 2 60.51
Power [MW]

th
4 4 Generator 3 60.89

3
2 TABLE IV. GENERATORS DISPATCH ORDER (PV POWER PLANT NOT
CONNECTED TO THE GRID)
1
Generator Generator b
0 order ($/MWh)
1st Generator 1 50.45
1

7
10

13

16

19

22

nd
2 Generator 2 60.51
Hour [h]
rd
3 Generator 3 60.89

Fig. 4. PV power plant output.

The simulation dispatch results for the Smart Grid test
The load power demand is 110 MW. The load power
system are presented in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.
demand for the whole day is presented in Fig. 5.
 a SG include distributed generators, energy storage units, smart
140 Storage
meters and communication systems.
unit
120 The power dispatch simulation for a smart grid was
G3 performed for the whole day according to the ascending power
100 production cost, with the remark that the PV power plant was
Power [MW]

dispatched first if it was connected to the grid due to its

80 G2 variable power output.
60 The simulation of the power dispatch for the smart grid test
G1
system emphasizes that at base load and intermediate load for
40 the situation when the PV power plant was connected to the
grid, only G1 and G2 had to be dispatched to cover the load. At
20 G4 (PV
peak load, all four generators and the storage unit were used to
power cover the load demand. For the situation when the PV power
0 plant) plant was not connected to the grid, at base load, only G1 and
G2 had to be dispatched to cover the load. At intermediate
10

13

16

19

22
1

Hour [h] load, G3 was dispatched in addition to the other two

generators. At peak load, three generators (G1, G2 and G3) and
the storage unit were used to cover the load.
Fig. 6. Power dispatch results (PV power plant is connected to the grid).

REFERENCES
140 Storage [1] A. Bari, J. Jiang, W. Saad and A. Jaekel, “Challenges in the Smart Grid
unit Applications: An Overview”, International Journal of Distributed Sensor
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G3 [2] S. Borlase, “Smart Grids: Infrastructure, Technology, and Solutions”,
100 CRC Press, 2013.
Power [MW]

[3] R. Cespedes, “Planning the electrical energy system 2.0 with Smart
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pp. 1-4, 2013.
60 [4] L.I. Dulău and D. Bică, “Smart Grid Economic Dispatch”, Procedia
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1

Technology, Vol. 28, 2012.

Hour [h]
[7]
Fig. 7. Power dispatch results (PV power plant is not connected to the grid). [8]
The results of the power dispatch simulation emphasizes [9]
that at base load and intermediate load for the situation when
the PV power plant is connected to the grid, only G1 and G2
are dispatched to cover the load demand in addition to G4. At [10]
peak load, all four generators and the storage unit are
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plant is not connected to the grid, at base load, only G1 and G2
are dispatched to cover the load demand. At intermediate load, [11]
G3 is dispatched in addition to the other two generators. At
peak load, three generators (G1, G2 and G3) and the storage
unit are dispatched to cover the load demand. [12]
[13]
IV. CONCLUSIONS
Smart Grids (SG) is a modern type power system that can
monitor, protect and automatically optimize the operation of its [14]
interconnected elements. The SG is suitable for the operation
[15]
of the power system in real time, being able to react in a short
[16]
time to different perturbations. The devices that will be used in
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IEEE Press, 2012.
F.P. Sioshansi, “Smart Grid: Integrating Renewable, Distributed &
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www.citect.schneider-electric.com/scada/citectscada

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