An Optimization-Based Supervisory Control and Coordination Approach for Solar-Load Balancing in Building Energy Management

Abstract

This work considers the problem of reducing the cost of electricity to a grid-connected commercial building that integrates on-site solar energy generation, while at the same time reducing the impact of the building loads on the grid. This is achieved through local management of the building’s energy generation-load balance in an effort to increase the feasibility of wide-scale deployment and integration of solar power generation into commercial buildings. To realize this goal, a simulated building model that accounts for on-site solar energy generation, battery storage, electrical vehicle (EV) charging, controllable lighting, and air conditioning is considered, and a supervisory model predictive control (MPC) system is developed to coordinate the building’s generation, loads and storage systems. The main aim of this optimization-based approach is to find a reasonable solution that minimizes the economic cost to the electricity user, while at the same time reducing the impact of the building loads on the grid. To assess this goal, three objective functions are selected, including the peak building load, the net building energy use, and a weighted sum of both the peak load and net energy use. Based on these objective functions, three MPC systems are implemented on the simulated building under scenarios with varying degrees of weather forecasting accuracy. The peak demand, energy cost, and electricity cost are compared for various forecast scenarios for each MPC system formulation, and evaluated in relation to a rules-based control scheme. The MPC systems tested the rules-based scheme based on simulations of a month-long electricity consumption. The performance differences between the individual MPC system formulations are discussed in the context of weather forecasting accuracy, operational costs, and how these impact the potential of on-site solar generation and potential wide-spread solar penetration.