Submitted:
28 December 2023
Posted:
29 December 2023
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Abstract
Keywords:
1. Introduction
1.1. Fundamentals, Evolution, and Classification of Energy Management Systems
2. PED and Alpgrids Project
2.1. Positive Energy Districts (PED)
2.2. Alpgrids Project
- The main football stadium, an outdoor sports area, and the swimming pool;
- Commercial activity areas;
- University labs, research centers and student accommodation;
- Social housing.
3. EMS: Application and Mathematical Model
3.1. Structure and Elements of the Microgrid
3.2. Mathematical Model
3.2.1. Distributed Generation Model
-
Renewable Energy Source (RES) ModelIn our model, we consider the contribution of RES to the microgrid system. The active power output of the RES at different buses is denoted as in kilowatts [kW] as in (1). Additionally, the active power curtailment of the RES is represented by in [kW] as in (2), reflecting any reduction in the output due to operational or grid constraints. represents the available power of RES as in (3). The equation (4) limits the maximum power of RES according to (CEI 0-16 page-117).The main constraints for RES are as follows:For the reactive power, in (5) represents the reactive power injected into the microgrid by the RES in [kVAR], while in (6) represents the reactive power absorbed by the RES in [kVAR]. in (5) and (6) limits the inverter operating points considering the rectangular capability curve. Binary variables in (7) and take the value 1 when the RES injects or absorbs reactive power, respectively.The reactive power constraints are given as follows:These variables play a crucial role in capturing the dynamic behaviour and impact of RES on the microgrid, enabling an analysis of active and reactive power interactions, as well as the ability to curtail power output when necessary.
-
CHP ModelThe electric power produced is subject to the following constraints:These constraints in (8) and (9)limit the power between a lower threshold () and an upper one (). Specifically, represents the minimum technical part-load of the microturbine, typically advised by manufacturers to be above 30%-50% of the nominal electrical power to maintain efficiency. Regarding the maximum power , it depends on the time instant t since the maximum electric power and efficiency are influenced by environmental (temperature, pressure, and humidity) and installation (altitude) conditions.The thermal power produced by the single unit at time t can either be positive or equal to zero and is correlated with the electric power through a linear function as in (10) describing the partial load behavior of the microturbine:
3.2.2. BESS Model
3.2.3. Grid Model
3.2.4. EV and Wall Box Model
3.2.5. Heating and Cooling System Modeling
- Heat Pump Model In our research, we consider the thermal and electrical aspects of a Heat Pump (HP) system. The thermal power produced by the HP is denoted as , while the corresponding electrical power consumed to generate the required thermal power is represented as as in (63). Additionally, the cooling power (65) produced by the HP is captured by , with the associated electrical power consumption denoted as . The constraints (64) and (66) are for the cooling and heating power of the heat pump. Binary variables and in (67) take the value 1 if the HP is in heating or cooling mode, respectively. These variables play a crucial role in modeling the operational states of the HP system, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of its thermal and electrical performance. The key constraints for the heat pump are as follows:
- Absorption Chiller Model Our investigation for a chiller system as in (68), where the thermal power required by the chiller is denoted as . The corresponding electrical power consumed by the chiller as in (70) is to generate the necessary cooling power is represented by . Additionally, the cooling power produced by the chilleras in (71) is captured by . These variables are essential in characterizing the operational dynamics of the chiller system, providing insights into the interplay between thermal and electrical components. The main constraints for the chiller system are as follows:the equation (71) defines the relation between the heating power required by the chiller to produce the required cooling power.
-
Thermal Balance:The equation (72) expresses the thermal balance, ensuring that the sum of thermal power produced by the CHP system for heating () and the thermal power produced by the Heat Pump (HP) () is used to satisfy the thermal load () in bus b at time t. The parameter is a factor to consider heating losses.
-
Cooling Balance:The equation (73) represents the cooling balance, ensuring that the sum of cooling power produced by a chiller () and the cooling power produced by the Heat Pump (HP) () to satisfy the cooling load () in bus b at time t. The parameter is a factor that is used to consider cooling losses.
-
Trigeneration Balance:The equation (74) represents the trigeneration balance, stating that the cooling power produced by a chiller () is equal to the thermal power consumed by the chiller () in bus b at time t. The parameter is introduced to consider the losses of the chiller in trigeneration considering heat being supplied by CHP.
3.2.6. Active & Reactive Power Balance
- Active power balance
- Reactive power balance
3.2.7. Load Flow Constraints
-
Linearized Load Flow EquationsThe following equations represent the linearized versions of the full-load flow equations for connected nodes b and k, where t denotes the time steps:Here in equation (77) and (78), b and k represent two connected nodes. The variables and denote the active power and reactive power in [p.u.] between nodes b and k at time t, respectively. The parameters and represent the resistance and reactance of the link between nodes b and k, respectively. The variables and represent the voltage magnitudes, while and represent the voltage phase angles at nodes b and k at time t, respectively.
3.2.8. Objective Function: Minimization of Operating Costs
- The cost associated with buying and selling active power at each time interval.
- The cost related to buying and selling reactive power and the associated quantities at each time interval.
- The cost of fuel consumption for a CHP unit, which is dependent on the power generated.
- The costs associated with curtailing power from PV and wind sources at each time interval.
- The revenue from selling power to EVs by charging them with different technologies, including AC, DC, and V2G systems.
- The cost associated with remunerating the discharging of V2G technology.
4. Input Data: Acquisition and Processing
4.1. Electric Mobility
4.2. Specifications of Charging Stations
4.3. Different Technologies Size Estimation
4.4. Load Profile Estimation
5. Results
5.1. Analysis of Different Cases (Typical Days)
5.1.1. Typical Summer Day
-
Case considering E-mobility Active and reactive power flowing in and out of the microgrid are considered here. On a typical summer day, the microgrid exhibits a dynamic and adaptive energy distribution pattern, as illustrated by the active and reactive power flow graph below in Figure 4. During daylight hours, the availability of sunlight allows the PV system to significantly contribute to the power supply, covering a substantial portion of the energy demand. The CHP unit efficiently operates during the day due to the request from the grid to satisfy the load and at night when solar power is unavailable. As the sun sets, the graph reveals a shift in energy sources, with a notable presence of the CHP unit and an increasing contribution from the grid. Interestingly, the demand for electric mobility charging emerges, either directly from the grid or supplied by the CHP unit at night. An interesting trend can be seen for the reactive power request as we can see the photovoltaics are supplying reactive power services even at night with significant contributions from CHP and some from the wind turbine for the reactive power request.Voltage profiles in Figure 5 for all 7 buses are coherent with the above Figure 4 as we can see the drop in the voltage when the request suddenly shoots giving rise to the voltage drop. Instead, if there is a drop in the request or an increase in the production of power, contributes to a voltage rise. The voltage fluctuations observed show a voltage drop during periods of elevated power requests and a voltage rise when production exceeds demand. Notably, the EMS adeptly maintained the voltage within the desired range of 0.9 to 1.1 [p.u.], effectively mitigating any adverse effects from the observed drops or rises in voltage.The PV inverters semi-circular capability curve has been shown in Figure 6 with the real operating points. The figure doesn’t show points in the second quadrant as there is no absorption of inductive reactive power by RES plants in the presented case study:Active and Reactive power flowing in and out of the different buses is shown in Figure 7 respectively with some three buses out of 7 buses, it can be seen that bus 2 practically acts as a transition bus which completes the ring topology. The other two buses three and seven are the buses corresponding to the MCC building and Student accommodation respectively.The profile of the car used by the professors and by the technician’s is shown in Figure 8 The cars used by professors are typically present only in the daytime when the university is open and can be charged only at that time at the campus. Instead, the other car is owned by the university and used by technicians for office work and this car is V2G enabled.
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Case without considering E-mobility Active and reactive power flowing in and out of the microgrid in different buses on a typical summer day without considering E-mobility is shown in Figure 9. On a typical summer day, excluding the EV scenario, it is evident that the majority of the load demand is met by PV generation. In certain instances, there is even surplus energy available for sale to the external grid. Additionally, a portion of the load demand is fulfilled by CHP, contributing to a scenario where minimal energy is procured from the external grid.Active and Reactive power flowing in different busses is shown in Figure 9
5.1.2. Typical Winter Day
-
Case considering E-mobility Active and reactive power flow across the microgris is shown in Figure 10 During the winter season, when sunlight availability is diminished, the load requirements are diversely addressed by alternative technologies. The CHP system, wind turbine, and occasionally, V2G interactions play pivotal roles in satisfying the load demand. Additionally, energy storage systems, particularly BESS, are employed in certain instances. Only when necessary, due to the shortfall from other sources, is energy procured from the external grid. This dynamic mix of technologies ensures a resilient and adaptive energy supply in the winter, effectively addressing the challenges posed by reduced solar availability.The voltage profile of different buses on a typical summer day without considering E-mobility is shown below in Figure 11. The voltage variations indicate drops during periods of heightened power requests and rises when production surpasses the demand. Remarkably, the EMS successfully kept the voltage within the specified range of 0.9 to 1.1 [p.u.], effectively mitigating any impacts from the observed fluctuations.Active and reactive power flowing in different busses is shown in Figure 12, The bar graph analysis reveals that during winter, when the availability of PV power is limited, the majority of the power demand is fulfilled by the CHP system in bus 3. Conversely, in bus 7, the load request is predominantly met by the on-site PV system. This is attributed to the substantial capacity of the roof-top PV installation in that building, allowing it to independently satisfy the load request.The vehicle profiles for professors and technicians, as illustrated in Figure 13, represent the daily usage patterns of these vehicles. These are day-request vehicles, owned by individuals who reside off-campus. As a result, the charging of these vehicles is confined to daytime hours when the owners are present on campus, aligning with the restrictions imposed by their availability.
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Case without considering E-mobilityIn the scenario of a typical winter day without E-mobility, the load request experiences a reduction, and predominantly, the active power demand is met solely by RES. During periods of RES unavailability, the deficient portion is procured either from the external grid or generated by the CHP system. On the other hand, the provision of reactive power is managed by on-site RES or other technologies present in different buses. Active and reactive power flow in different buses is shown in Figure 14
5.1.3. Off-Season Day
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Case considering E-mobility Active and reactive power flow across the microgrid for a typical off-season day is shown in Figure 15. This scenario explores the integration of E-mobility within microgrids. The bar graph visually demonstrates the significant impact of E-mobility on the power flow within the microgrid and its buses. When the microgrid is unable to meet the power demand from E-mobility internally, it absorbs the required power from the external grid. Additionally, there are instances where a portion of the power demand is fulfilled through V2G technology.The voltage profiles for various buses during a typical off-season day are illustrated in Figure 16. The fluctuations in voltage depict voltage drops during increased power requests and voltage rises when the production exceeds the demand.EV used by the technician for the university purpose and student who doesn’t live on campus is shown in Figure 17. The first car shown is a V2G type and the second one is a normal EV without V2G technology. In this figure, you can see the demand, SOC of vehicle, charging and discharging profile.
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Case without considering E-mobilityActive and reactive power flow across different buses is shown in Figure 18. With the detailed analysis of the bus-wise power flow, we can analyze that in the absence of RES production, the CHP is turned on to satisfy the load request but only part of the request is bought from the external grid.
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| EMS | Energy Management System |
| RES | Renewable Energy Sources |
| MILP | Mixed Integer Linear Programming |
| MINLP | Mixed Integer Non-Linear Programming |
| LF | Load Flow |
| PED | Positive Energy District |
| REC | Renewable Energy communities |
| CHP | Combined Heat and Power |
| AC | alternating Current |
| DC | Direct Current |
| V2G | Vehicle To Grid |
| PV | Photo Voltaic |
| SOC | State of Charge |
| COP | Coefficient of performance |
| EER | Energy Efficiency Ratio |
| EV | Electric vehicle |
| MCC | Microgrid Control Centre |
| DCFC | DC Fast Chargers |
| HP | Heat Pump |
| CEI | Comitato Elettrotecnico Italiano |
| BESS | Battery Energy Storage System |
| SEB | Smart Energy Building |
| SET | Strategic Energy Technology Plan |
| GHG | Green House Gas |
| DER | Distributed Energy sources |
| MG | Microgrid |
| IRENA | International Renewable Energy Agency |
| IEA | International Energy Agency |
Appendix A
Appendix A.1. Mathematical Formulas and Definitions
- Renewable Energy Sources (RES)
- : Available Power from RES [kW]
- : Nominal apparent power of the RES inverter [kVA]
- Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
- : Nominal apparent power of the CHP inverter [kVA]
- : Electrical power correction factor (altitude dependent)
- : Electrical power correction factor (temperature dependent)
- and : Constant coefficients (experimentally evaluated)
- and : Constant coefficients related to partial load behavior
- : Cost of Fuel for CHP [€/kWh]
- Electrical Load (non-manageable)
- : Active Power Electrical demand [kW]
- : Reactive Power Electrical demand [kVAR]
- : Maximum power bought from the national grid [kW]
- : Maximum power sold to the national grid [kW]
- : Price of electricity bought [€/kWh] the price of the electricity to be bought has dynamic pricing depending upon the time slots set by the distribution company based on the F1, F2, and F3 slots as shown below in Figure A1:
- : Revenue for electricity sold [€/kWh]
- : Price of Reactive power bought [€/kVAR]
- : Revenue for Reactive power sold [€/kVAR]
-
: Cost of curtailment for RES [€/kWh]To assess the costs specified in the objective function of the optimization model, certain input data must be supplied. Curtailment costs for the RESs have been considered equal to the LCOE for the respective technology and the price of the fuel is at par with the market price:, ,

- Transformer
- : Nominal apparent power of the transformer [kVA]
- : Nominal voltage (line to line) primary side [kV]
- : Nominal voltage (line to line) secondary side [kV]
- : On Load loss of the transformer [W]
-
: Short circuit voltage of the transformer [-]The parameters for the transformer system are as follows: , , , , and .
- Storage Batteries
- , : Charging and discharging efficiencies
- , : Max charging and discharging power [kW]
- , : Min charging and discharging power [kW]
- : Nominal apparent power of the electrical storage inverter [kVA]
- : Rated capacity of the storage system [kWh]
- : Number of batteries
- , : Min and max state of charge [
- : Ideal self-discharging rate
- : Time interval, where =0.25
- Electrical Vehicle (EV)
- , , : Max charging powers [kW]
- : Max discharging power V2G [kW]
- : EV availability
- , : Min and max state of charge [%]
- : Initial state of charge
- , : State of charge at arrival and departure [%]
- : Capacity of EV battery [kWh]
- , : Charging efficiencies for AC and DC chargers
- , : Charging and discharging efficiencies for V2G chargers
- : Vehicle Consumption [kWh/km]
- : Vehicle demand [km]
- : Factor for calculating self-discharging
- Heat Pump
- , , : Constants from product data sheets
- : Ambient temperature
- : Constant from product data sheets
- : COP of Heat pump
- : EER of Heat pump
- : Max thermal power by Heat pump (temperature dependent)
-
: Max cooling power by Heat pump (temperature dependent)The values of the required variables for the heat pump that are required for the optimization are as follows:, , , and .
- Chiller
- : Min thermal output of chiller
- : Max output of chiller (temperature dependent)
- : Factor for converting cooling energy to electrical energy
-
Additional data: , , , ,The values of the required variables for the chiller that are required for the optimization are as follows:. The efficiencies for heating, cooling, and the chiller are , , and respectively.
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| Car Model number | Charging Mode | Battery Type | Total no of Cars |
Battery useable capacity [kWh] |
Range [km] |
Vehicle Consumption [Wh/km] |
AC charging [kW] |
DC Fast charging [kW] |
V2G charging [kW] |
V2G discharging [kW] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro | AC/DC | Lithium-ion | 1 | 106 | 495 | 214 | 22 | 50 | 15 | 0 |
| Nissan Leaf e+ | AC/DC/V2G | Lithium-ion | 3 | 59 | 340 | 174 | 7 | 46 | 15 | 7 |
| Tesla Model X Plaid | AC/DC | Lithium-ion | 1 | 95 | 455 | 209 | 11 | 50 | 15 | 0 |
| Renault Kangoo E-Tech Electric | AC/DC | Lithium-ion | 2 | 44 | 215 | 205 | 22 | 50 | 15 | 0 |
| Fiat 500e Cabrio | AC/DC | Lithium-ion | 2 | 21 | 135 | 158 | 11 | 50 | 15 | 0 |
| Renault Zoe ZE50 R135 | AC/DC | Lithium-ion | 1 | 52 | 310 | 135 | 22 | 46 | 15 | 0 |
| Nissan e-NV200 Evalia | AC/DC/V2G | Lithium-ion | 1 | 22 | 105 | 210 | 7 | 46 | 15 | 7 |
| Smart EQ fortwo coupe | AC | Lithium-ion | 3 | 17 | 100 | 167 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charging Station | No of Chargers | Max Power [kW] |
|---|---|---|
| AC | 2 | 22 |
| DC | 2 | 50 |
| V2G4 | 2 | 15 |
| Bus Number | Size of PV plant [kWp] | Size of CHP engine [kWel] | Size of Wind turbine [kW] | BESS Size [kWh] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUS 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUS 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUS 3 | 45.57 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| BUS 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| BUS 5 | 12.06 | 0 | 0 | 360 |
| BUS 6 | 12.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BUS 7 | 81.07 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Technology | Thermal Capacity [kWth] | Cooling Capacity [kWcool] |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption Chiller | 0 | 52.7 |
| CHP1 | 74 | 0 |
| Heat Pump2,3 | 43.4 | 49 |
| Building | Electrical Peak Load (kWel) | Thermal Peak Load [kWth] | Cooling peak Load [kWcool] |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCC Building | 99 | 16.05 | 40.3 |
| Students Accommodation | 30 | 30.44 | 35.8 |
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