A Novel Consensus-based Distributed Algorithm for Economic Dispatch Based on Local Estimation of Power Mismatch

TL;DR

This paper introduces a consensus-based distributed control algorithm for economic dispatch that eliminates the need for a central controller, enhances privacy, and supports scalable, fast convergence in large power systems.

Contribution

It presents a novel distributed algorithm that enables local agents to coordinate economically without a central controller, using local power mismatch estimations.

Findings

Accurate results in a 29-node system compared to centralized methods

Scalable and fast convergence demonstrated in a 1400-node system

Practical implementation validated on VOLTTRON platform with low-cost hardware

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel consensus-based distributed control algorithm for solving the economic dispatch problem of distributed generators. A legacy central controller can be eliminated in order to avoid a single point of failure, relieve computational burden, maintain data privacy, and support plug-and-play functionalities. The optimal economic dispatch is achieved by allowing the iterative coordination of local agents (consumers and distributed generators). As coordination information, the local estimation of power mismatch is shared among distributed generators through communication networks and does not contain any private information, ultimately contributing to a fair electricity market. Additionally, the proposed distributed algorithm is particularly designed for easy implementation and configuration of a large number of agents in which the distributed decision making can be implemented in a simple proportional-integral (PI) or integral (I) controller. In MATLAB/Simulink simulation, the accuracy of the proposed distributed algorithm is demonstrated in a 29-node system in comparison with the centralized algorithm. Scalability and a fast convergence rate are also demonstrated in a 1400-node case study. Further, the experimental test demonstrates the practical performance of the proposed distributed algorithm using the VOLTTRON platform and a cluster of low-cost credit-card-size single-board PCs.