A Parallel and Decoupled Approach for Time-Series-Based Planning of Distribution Grids Considering Active Power Curtailment

The ongoing development towards active distribution grids requires considering operational measures in the planning process. This motivates grid planners to use advanced planning techniques, such as time-series-based planning. This paper systematizes time-series-based planning processes for the consideration of active power curtailment within a grid planning process. We can avoid or defer grid reinforcement by curtailing a small fraction of the feed-in of renewable energy generators. The associated planning process must orchestrate time-series simulations and grid planning decisions to find an optimal trade-off between curtailment and reinforcement. The approach we propose in this paper identifies an optimized combination of reinforcement and curtailment for a specific future scenario of renewable energy penetration. Furthermore, we show how we can accelerate the overall planning process by using parallel computing.