Contribution and expertise:

• Project coordination- and management.
• Knowledge of demand supply matching algothims, based on the PowerMatcher platform.
• Knowledge on interaction between grid coupled generation and grid, power quality aspects, and electrical energy storage systems.
• Development of application specific software for the internet-communication between the Powermatcher and home appliances as the uCHP's.
• ECN-E&I has extensive knowledge of demand / supply matching algorithms. Knowledge of energy balance models and development of agent software.
• Knowledge of interaction between grid coupled generation and grid.
• Knowledge of using electrical energy storage, knowledge integration of subsystems, development computer models.

 

As energy consumption and peak demand in the distribution grid increase, the distribution grid operator is faced with capacity shortages. Through Demand Response (DR) a grid operator can reduce the peak demand and thus defer the resulting investments in infrastructure.

To implement Demand Response the PowerMatcher control concept for supply and demand matching (SDM) is included in the Smart MV/LV-station. PowerMatcher, developed by ECN, is a market-based control concept that finds an optimal match between preferences of producers, consumers and the power grid. In the Smart MV/LV-station the PowerMatcher is used to control the power flows from the battery in the station itself, as well as power flows from flexible appliances and generators in the houses connected to the substation.

 

Simulations of the Demand Response features supplied by the PowerMatcher control mechanism also show promising results. In a simulation study this was investigated using a cluster of 40 houses, all connected to the same segment of a LV distribution network. 20 houses are heated by heat pumps, the other 20 houses by µCHP units. Electric storage is present in the form of a battery.