Comparison of the Use of Energy Storages and Energy Curtailment as an Addition to the Allocation of Renewable Energy in the Distribution System in Order to Minimize Development Costs

Abstract

This paper presents a comparison of the efficiency of energy storage and energy curtailment as an addition to the allocation of renewable energy in the distribution system in order to minimize development costs using a Mixed Integer-Linear Programming (MILP). Energy sources and energy storages are selected, sized and allocated under operational circumstances such as grid congestions and weather conditions. Loads and power units are modeled by daily consumption and generation profiles respectively, to reflect the intermittent character of renewable generation and consumption of energy. The optimization is carried out for a one-year time horizon using twenty-four representative days. The method is verified on three main simulation scenarios and three sub-scenarios for each of them, allowing for the comparison of the efficiency of each used tool. The main scenarios differ in their share of energy from renewable energy sources (RES) in total consumption. In the sub-scenarios, different tools (RES sizing and allocation, energy storages (ES) sizing and allocation and energy curtailment) are used. The results of this research confirm that energy curtailment is a more efficient additional tool for RES sizing and allocation than energy storages. This method can find practical application for Distribution System Operators in elaborating grid development strategies.