Economic Dispatch and Power Flow Analysis for Microgrids

TL;DR

This paper presents integrated methods for economic dispatch and optimal power flow in microgrids, optimizing renewable energy use, storage, and conventional generators to ensure cost efficiency and stability.

Contribution

It introduces combined dispatch and OPF techniques tailored for microgrids with renewable sources, storage, and conventional generators, enhancing operational efficiency.

Findings

Renewable energy is maximized for cost savings.

BESS effectively balances renewable intermittency.

Microgrid maintains load demand with minimal external grid reliance.

Abstract

This study investigates the economic dispatch and optimal power flow (OPF) for microgrids, focusing on two configurations: a single-bus islanded microgrid and a three-bus grid-tied microgrid. The methodologies integrate renewable energy sources (solar PV and wind turbines), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and conventional generators (CHP, diesel, and natural gas), which are connected to the grid to ensure cost-efficient and reliable operation. The economic dispatch analysis evaluates the allocation of generation resources over daily and weekly horizons, highlighting the extensive utilization of renewable energy and the strategic use of BESS to balance system dynamics. The OPF analysis examines the distribution of active and reactive power across buses while ensuring voltage stability and compliance with operational constraints. Results show that the microgrid consistently satisfies load demand with minimal reliance on costly external grid power. Renewable energy sources are maximized for cost reduction, while BESS is employed strategically to address renewable intermittency. For the grid-tied microgrid, optimal power dispatch prioritizes cheaper sources, with Bus 1 contributing the largest share due to its favorable cost profile. Voltage variations remain within acceptable boundaries but indicate potential stability challenges under dynamic load changes, suggesting the need for secondary voltage control. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies in achieving sustainable, cost-effective, and stable microgrid operations.