Power flow guided optimal resource allocation in microgrid

Abstract

The integration of renewable energy resources (RERs) and technological advancements has modernized electrical power system network from conventional grid to microgrid. Diversity in operating condition and increase in energy demand has significant impact on power distribution as well as on its utilization. Efficient and optimal allocation of available resources becomes a challenge as generations are mostly renewable based which are intermittent in nature and also dispersed in nature. An allocation technique is required to achieve optimal utilization of available resources like distribution lines and generations and to control the flow of power through shortest path. This paper establishes an optimization based resource allocation method to efficiently manage available generation at any load condition while achieving minimum operating cost. The contribution of the proposed allocation method is twofold, maximum distribution capacity utilization is achieved by maximizing the amount of power flowing through individual lines while loss minimization is achieved by sending power through shortest path as loss is directly proportional to distance travelled by power. Additionally, the proposed methodology also suggests proper controller location to maintain desired power flow through the shortest path between each generator and load pair. The proposed methodology is tested on an interconnected microgrid network consisting of RERs as well as on conventional grid.