Impacts of Distribution Network Reconfiguration on Aggregated DER Flexibility

TL;DR

This paper investigates how reconfiguring meshed distribution networks enhances the aggregated flexibility of active distribution networks, leading to increased flexibility limits and economic benefits in flexibility markets.

Contribution

It introduces the impact of distribution network reconfiguration on ADN flexibility using a realistic meshed system and ACOPF modeling, an area previously underexplored.

Findings

Reconfiguration increases ADN flexibility limits.

Enhanced flexibility improves market economic efficiency.

Reconfiguration benefits are demonstrated on a UK system.

Abstract

The ongoing integration of controllable distributed energy resources (DER) makes distribution networks capable of aggregating flexible power and providing flexibility services at both transmission and distribution levels. The aggregated flexibility of an active distribution network (ADN) can be represented as its feasible operating area in the P-Q space. The limits of this area are pivotal for arranging flexibility markets and coordinating transmission and distribution system operators (TSOs and DSOs). However, motivated by the current technical limitations of distribution networks (e.g., protection schemes), existing literature on ADN flexibility and TSO-DSO coordination mostly focuses on radial networks, overlooking the potential benefits of network reconfiguration. This paper, using a realistic meshed distribution system from the UK and the exact ACOPF model for flexibility estimation, demonstrates that network reconfiguration can increase the limits of ADN aggregated flexibility and improve the economic efficiency of flexibility markets.