The objective of this research is to investigate a novel look-ahead operating paradigm which enables the participation of variable energy resources such as wind and solar power in both energy balancing and frequency regulation. The approach is to (1) formulate a distributed model predictive optimization model which controls the predictable portions of variable generation to provide both electric energy and regulation services; (2) leverage the near-term forecasts and inter-temporal variability of wind and solar generation to do load following and frequency regulation; and (3) introduce the novel concept of regulation service pricing and verification for variable generation resources.
Intellectual Merit
(1) This project will lead to the new concept of coordinated model predictive control of distributed variable energy resources in providing both energy and regulation services. (2) This project will investigate the performance of look-ahead coordinated control for large-scale power systems by leveraging the spatial and temporal structures of power systems. (3) This project will make contributions to fast look-ahead coordination algorithms needed to advance the computational efficiency and robustness of online model predictive control.
Broader Impact
The vision of this project will make the societal goals of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) into affordable and clean realization in the near future. A new course on engineering and economics of sustainable energy systems will be developed. The PI will help start a university-wide student energy organization aiming at raising students? awareness of energy systems innovations. At least one female student will be supported to work on various tasks of this project.
In this project, a framework is developed to provide wind and other variable resources the fullest possible access to both energy and ancillary services. Enabled by advanced controllers, improved prediction techniques, and efficient computational algorithms, look-ahead coordination of energy balancing and frequency regulation from variable resources is shown to be technically and procedurally achievable. It is also shown that providing such access would result in a scalable source of increased ancillary service capacity. It enhances market liquidity and results in more accurate price signals, reduce the need to construct new conventional resources with low utilization factors and reduce system operation costs. Several graduate researchers (including one female) and undergraduate researchers (including African American and Hispanic students) participated in this project. Supported by this project, six journal papers, one research monograph, and multiple conference papers have been published. A dedicated panel discussion on "Look-ahead Dispatch" was organized in the 2011 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting. The principal investigator (PI) helped to launch the Texas A&M Energy Club, and served as its founding advisor since December 2010. By 2013 this student-run organization has been fully functional, and has attracted more than 200 members from across 7 colleges on campus. The PI also offered three times a newly developed course "Physical and Economical Operations of Sustainable Energy Systems".
