Grid-Aware Energy Management System for Distribution Grids Based on a Co-Simulation Approach

The energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation to tackle climate change issues rapidly and efficiently. The development of decentralized renewable energy and the electrification of the transport sector are two major aspects affecting electrical grids. This paper presents a novel energy management strategy that supervises controllable loads like electric vehicles and electric water heaters in a distribution grid to reduce energy transmission costs and promote the local consumption of renewable energy. The proposed strategy uses day-ahead forecasts of energy production and consumption to schedule future load profiles. It also considers potential grid constraints using a real-time co-simulation approach. The estimated constraints are mitigated by modifying the controllable loads' dispatch or adjusting their power set-points. The system's performance is finally evaluated on a real distribution grid model during days that present the most voltage constraints in the year.