A comprehensive technical-economic optimization model for electric distribution grids
Final Report Abstract
Operators of electrical distribution networks have to make important strategic decisions, the consequences of which sometimes only become apparent in the distant future. The strategic decision-making process must be well considered and sound in order to ensure the long-term success of the company. At the same time, achieving long-term success is made more difficult by the constantly growing regulatory framework. However, appropriate modelling of the various fields of activity of the distribution network operator can significantly support this process. Previous research approaches that deal with this issue usually do not focus on the modelling of the entire system, but only aim at the modelling of individual fields of activity of the distribution network operator. The reciprocal interactions with fields of activity that are not initially investigated in detail are at best taken into account by justified assumptions. As a result, the observability of the overall system behaviour is only given to a limited extent. Within the framework of this research project, the observability of the system behaviour is to be sustainably improved by creating an overall technical-economic model for the management of the distribution network. For this purpose, the interdependencies between the individual fields of activity were first identified and a suitable modelling framework was defined. To enable a modular structure of the overall model, the interfaces between the partial models used for describing the individual fields of activity were defined. Because of the interface definition, partial models resulted for the aspects of regulation (subdivided into incentive and quality regulation), accounting, asset management, planned work, network and fault-related network operation, whose modelling concepts were subsequently developed and implemented in software. The overall system behaviour was made observable this way. With the help of a variety of sensitivity analyses, the effects of technical and economic courses of action and strategies on various parameters were investigated. This made the identification of essential levers possible and revealed potential optimisation paths. The overall model developed in the context of this research project thus offers significant benefits both for the scientists involved in optimising the individual fields of activity and for the strategic orientation and optimisation of distribution network operators.
Publications
- „A Comprehensive Revenue Optimisation Model for DSOs,“ in Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2021), Virtuelle Konferenz, 20.-23. September 2021
R. Schubert, M. Zdrallek
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1049/icp.2021.1549)
