Operation cost minimization of droop controlled DC microgrids based on real time pricing and optimal power flow
In this paper, an optimal power flow problem is formulated in order to minimize the total operation cost by considering real time pricing in DC microgrids. Each generation resource in the system, including the utility grid, is modeled in terms of operation cost, which combines the cost efficiency of the system with the demand response requirements of the utility. By considering the primary (local) control of the grid forming converters of a microgrid, optimal parameters can be directly applied to the control of this level, thus achieving higher control accuracy and faster response. The optimization problem is solved in a heuristic way by using genetic algorithms. In order to test the proposed algorithm, a six bus droop controlled DC microgrid is used as a case study. The obtained simulation results show that under variable renewable generation, load, and electricity prices, the proposed method can successfully dispatch the resources in the microgrid with lower total operation costs.
IECON 2015 41st Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society