2012 Second Iranian Conference on Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation

Optimal Management of Micro Grid in Restructured

Environment
Ehsan Nasrolahpour*, Meysam Doostizadeh*, Hassan Ghasemi*, Senior member, IEEE
*School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
*University of Tehran
*Tehran, Iran
Emails: e.nasrolahpour@ece.ut.ac.ir, m.doostizadeh@ece.ut.ac.ir, h.ghasemi@ut.ac.ir

AbstractElectric utility deregulation and power system

restructuring encourage micro grids penetration into distribution
networks. Micro grids are low voltage distribution networks that
are designed to supply electric and heat loads for small
communities. A micro grid which is aggregation of various
distributed generators (DGs), storage devices and controllable
loads, can be operated and dispatched flexibly. Micro grids can
work in an interconnected or autonomous mode. In this paper,
component models of micro grids are determined by using real
data and cost of micro grid is minimized in order to determine
the optimal generation of each DG and the amount of
controllable loads during a day. The problem formulation
includes purchased energy from the main grid, DGs operational
cost, start-up and shut-down costs, and finally the cost of
interrupted loads. Also, the ramp rate and other constrains of
each DG are considered. The micro gird considered in this paper
consists of a wind turbine, a micro turbine, a photovoltaic array
and a fuel cell.

Micro grids can provide energy at lower price because of

their optimal use of waste heat. In addition, they do not pay any
cost for congestion, customer service, distribution and
transmission losses and other costs unlike traditional power
systems. The generation of micro grid should be changed with
regards to the variation of grids energy price. For better
performance, we need to manage and control the micro grid.
A successful management of micro grid must provide a
strong financial incentive for both micro grid owners and the
main gird. In order to manage micro grids, the following
information should be known as input data:
The energy price of main grid at any time
Maximum amount of interruptible load
All characteristics related to DGs such as wind speed,
temperature, irritation and etc.

Keywords- micro grid; component model; DG; energy

management.

Many studies have been done in the area of micro grids,

which some of them deal with optimization of micro grid
operation. Decentralized control of micro grid is discussed in
[4]. Ref. [5] suggested centralized control strategy. [6]
optimizes the operation of a micro grid at only 1 hour and in an
autonomous mode. In [7] optimizing the operation of an
autonomous micro grid is performed in 24 hours of a day but it
is done separately for each hour and there is no link between
them. [8] uses the model of [5] and optimizes the operation of
micro grid in 24 hours by using the genetic algorithm but the
component models of micro grid are not considered. In [9] the
cost function is minimized by MADS (Mesh Adaptive Direct
Search), but MADS alone is not sufficient to reach an optimal
solution, so MADS needs to be combined with SQP
(Sequential Quadratic Programming) to reach the optimal
solution and it should be considered too that MADS and SQP
methods are inherently unable to result in a global solution
[10]. The present paper proposes the component model of
micro grid, then develops the model of [5] and optimizes the
operation of the system considering constrains of network and
DGs. The objective function includes the purchased energy
from the main grid, DGs operational cost, start-up and shutdown costs, and finally the cost of interrupted loads. For
problem solution, the GAMS software is employed.

I.
INTRODUCTION
The need for more flexible and accessible electrical
systems, enhancement of local reliability, environmental and
economical issues derive development of micro grids, which
surely will play a significant role in the future of power system.
Micro grids are defined as intelligent distribution networks
include various distributed generators, storage devices and
controllable loads [1]. Micro grid can be operated in
autonomous mode in condition that it is disconnected from the
main grid or in non-autonomous mode if it is connected to the
main grid. A non-autonomous micro grid, due to its connection
to power utilities, can reach greater controllability and stability.
From the grids point of view, a micro grid is a controlled
entity that can be operated as a single aggregated load and as a
small source of power or ancillary services supporting the
network. On the other hand, micro grids are similar to
traditional local distribution networks that provide electricity,
from the customers point of view [2]. Since the micro grids
are designed to generate power at the voltage level of
distribution networks, they have limited energy handling
capability. Therefore, their maximum capacity is normally
restricted to 10 MVA [3].

978-1-4673-0665-2/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE

116

C.

Fuel Cell Cost

Fuel cell converts the chemical energy into electrical
energy. The following is the function used to calculate the cost
of fuel cell.

This paper is organized as follows: The components model

is discussed in section II. In section III, the objective function
and the constraints of problem are described. The case study is
introduced in section IV. The simulation results are presented
in section V. Finally, the section VI concludes the paper.

(5)

Pj

II. MICRO GRID COMPONENT

Different types of DG technologies have been invented
which are utilized in distribution networks. The output power
of DG in each technology depends on various parameters such
as environmental conditions. In this part, the output power of
each type has been modeled as a function of their input
parameters [9].

where Cnl is the natural gas price; Pj shows the net electrical
power produced at interval j; nj represents the cell efficiency at
interval j.

A.

D.

C fc (t ) = C nl .

Micro Turbines Cost

Micro turbines are widely used in DG systems and as
energy producer in CHP (Combined Heat and Power) systems.
They are small and simple-cycle gas turbine. Micro turbine can
be modeled as fuel cells. The cost of micro turbine can be
expressed as:

Wind Turbine
Wind turbine converts wind energy into electrical one. The
output power of a wind turbine depends on several factors such
as availability of the wind, the wind turbine power curve, wind
speed, size and shape of turbine. The power developed is given
by (1) [11]:
0

Pwt (t ) = a.v(t )3 b.PR

P
R

v < vci , v > vco

vci < v < vr
vr < v < vco

(6 )

Pj

(1)

C mt (t ) = C nl .

OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM

III.
where Pwt and PR denote actual and rated power, respectively; v
and vt are actual and rated wind speed, respectively; vci and vco
present cut-in and cut-off wind speed, respectively; a and b are
obtained from following equations:

b=

a=

vr3

A.

Min.

vci3

OC =

p .P
t

t =1:24

pR
vr3 vci3

Gstc

(1 + k (Tc Tr ))

(C

dg,t .Pdg,t .wdg,t

(7 )

t =1:24 dgS

IL ( PIL,t )

t =1:24

where pt denotes the energy price of main grid; Pgrid,t is the

amount of power exchanged between main grid and micro
grid; Cdg,t represents generation cost of each DG in each hour;
Pdg,t is generation of each DG in each hour; wdg,t ,udg,t ,vdg,t are
binary values that denote commitment status, start up, shut
down cost of each DG in each hour; STCdg and SHCdg indicate
start up and shut down cost; pIL is cost of interruptible load,
PIL,t correspond to amount of interruptible load; S is set of
DGs.

Photovoltaic
Solar PV generates the electricity from free solar energy.
The output power of this module can be calculated as follows:
Ging

grid,t

STCdg .udg,t + SHCdg .vdg,t ) +

(3)

B.

Ppv = Pstc

Obective Function

In order to minimize operation cost and therefore,

maximize social welfare the objective function is defined as
below:

(2)

vci3

(4)

where Ging and Gstc indicate irradiance at actual time and

standard situation, respectively. Gstc is supposed as 1000
(w/m2); Tc and Tr corresponding to cell temperature and
reference temperature, respectively; k is thermal coefficient of
photovoltaic; Ppv and Pstc denote the output power and the
module maximum power at standard test condition (STC),
respectively.

B.

Constraints
The problem constraints such generation limits and
capacity reserve limits are formulate as follows:

1- The supply-demand balancing constraint:

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Pgrid ,t +

dg ,t

= PD (t ) Pcurt,t

t = 1 : 24

(8)

dgS

2- DG constraints:

Pdg ,t , min Pdg ,t .wdg , t Pdg , t , max t = 1 : 24

(9)

Pdg , t +1 Pdg ,t Rumdg

t = 1 : 24

(10)

Pdg , t Pdg , t +1 Rdmdg

t = 1 : 24

(11)

[Ton,dg,t MUTdg ].[wdg,t1 wdg,t ] 0

t = 1: 24 dg S

(12)

[Toff,dg,t MDTdg ].[wdg,t1 wdg,t ] 0 t =1: 24 dgS

(13)

[ wdg , t wdg , t 1 ] udg , t

(14)

t = 1 : 24 dg S

[ wdg , t wdg , t 1 ] vdg ,t

t = 1 : 24 dg S

Figure 1. Study case LV network [3]

(15)
Figure 2.

[wdg,t wdg,t 1 ] udg,t vdg,t t = 1 : 24 dg S

(16)

Two scenarios are described for energy price of main grid

as shown in Fig. 2. Also, for each scenario two strategies is
considered.

where Pdg,t,min and Pdg,t,max represent the minimum and

maximum generation of each DG in each hour, repectively;
Rumdg and Rdmdg are the ramp up and ramp down limit of each
DG; Ton,dg,t and Toff,dg,t denote the on and off times of each DG,
respectively; MUTdg and MDTdg are minimum up and down
limits of each DG, respectively.

Strategy 1: micro grid can buy energy from main grid but
cannot sell energy to the grid.
Strategy 2: micro grid can exchange power with the main
grid freely and can sell energy to main grid.

3- The constrains of interruptible load:

0 Pcurt m PD

V. RESULTS
The result of simulation has been shown in below figures. It
should be noted that since energy price are different in two
scenarios, demand of the network differ in each scenario. As it
can be seen for the presented results, at the hours that the
energy price of main grid is high, the majority of load demand
is provided by DG units of micro grid.

(17)

where m is the maximum of interruptible load.

Also, at hours that the DGs operational costs are higher than
the energy price, DG units reduce their power generation and
the energy is mostly injected from the grid into micro grid to
diminish total cost of system.

4- Reserve capacity:

dg ,t ,max wdg ,t

+ Pgrid,t + Pcurt,t = Res

(18)

dgS

Furthermore, at pick load hours that the load demand is

more than the generable energy by DGs, and the energy price
of grid is too high, some part of controllable loads are
interrupted so that the system total cost be reduced.

where Res denotes the reserve capacity of micro grid.

IV.

Wholesale market price

CASE STUDY

Since the generation cost of micro turbine and fuel cell is

low in comparison to other DGs, and also their generated
power is independent from environmental conditions, thus,
most of the generated energy by DGs is dedicated to them.

A.

System Description
The micro grid shown in Fig. 1 is used as the test case,
which consists of photovoltaic array, a wind turbine, a fuel cell
and one micro turbine. The characteristics of above
components are given in Tables A. I-III.

Table I compares the total cost of system in two strategies

and two scenarios. As seen, in each scenario, the cost of
strategy 2 is lower than that of strategy 1. This can be

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concluded from the fact that in scenario 2, DG units after

meeting the load demand, they can sell their extra energy to the
main grid so that all their capacity is utilized.

reason for this matter is that in the second scenario, the

cheapness of wholesale market energy is continued for more
hours than that for first scenario (see Fig. 2).
VI. CONCLUSION
Based on component model of distributed energy
resources, environmental conditions, energy price of main
grid, maximum amount of interruptible load and other
constraints related to the system, this paper proposes
optimization and dispatch model of micro grids. The proposed
model is validated by simulation of a micro grid by GAMS
software. The simulation results are discussed in different
interactive operational control strategies and market prices.
The results have verified the effectiveness of the control and
management method in optimized operation of micro grids.

Figure 3. First senario and first strategy

APPENDIX

Figure 4. First senario and second strategy

Figure A.1 Wind speed during a day

Figure 5. Second senario and first strategy

Figure A.2 Sun irritation during a day

Figure 6. second senario and second strategy

Table I. total system cost in different strategies and scenarios
Strategy 1

Strategy 2

First scenario

248.081 ()

226.472 ()

Second scenario

169.063 ()

131.591 ()
Figure A.3 Temperature during a day

Also, it is observed that in each strategy, total system cost

in the second scenario is less than that of first scenario. The

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Table A.I Wind turbine specifications

[2]

VR (m/s)

13.8

PR (kW)

300

Vci (m/s)

3.1

Vco (m/s)

25

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Table A.II Photovoltaic panel specification

Irritation at (stc)

1000

Termal coefficient

-0.004

Enviroment temperature ( c)

25

Table A.III Installed DG sources

Unit ID

Min power (kw)

Max power (kw)

MT

30

FC

30

WT

15

PV1

13

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N. W. A. Lidula, A. D. Rajapakse, Microgrids research: A review of

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