Demand side management for power systems

Abstract

Demand-side management has added a new variable to the equations of the energy market. Traditionally, electrical power is supplied and delivered in a single direction; from generators to end-users. Now, end users can sell electrical power in the form of load reduction in the rapidly deregulating energy market. With high-speed communications and accurate power measurement devices from advanced metering infrastructures, real-time data can be remotely obtained from any part of the electrical grid. In addition, the penetration of renewable energy sources and energy storage systems helps to manage load fluctuations. This report aims to provide an insight into the paradigm of demand-side management and also investigate the effects of load flexibility in terms of cost savings and system stability. Mathematical tools such as the Newton-Raphson method and Particle Swarm Optimization are used to perform load flow analysis and economic dispatch of generators respectively. Simulation results showed that photovoltaic systems and load curtailment can reduce peak demands during the day. Quadratic cost functions of generators used to model its cost of operations were also reduced. Nevertheless, hypothetical assumptions were made and more work could be done to incorporate real-world considerations.