Hierarchical DER Control for Uncertain Multi-Resource Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integration of various energy resources in distributed energy resource systems is challenging due to uncertainties in renewable energy sources and non-environmental factors such as electricity price changes and power contracts.
Innovation Solution
A two-level design system comprising a top-level designer and multiple bottom-level designers, along with a hierarchical optimization-based control system, is used to coordinate decentralized design routines and optimize the operation of distributed energy resource systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If decentralized design routines are used for individual energy resources, then adaptability and flexibility are improved, but system coordination and global optimization become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The design system is segmented into a top-level designer that coordinates overall system design and bottom-level designers that handle individual energy resource design. This segmentation allows each level to operate independently within its scope while maintaining system-wide coherence, resolving the contradiction between decentralized adaptability and centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The top-level designer acts as an intermediary between the global system requirements and individual bottom-level designers. It receives design inputs, coordinates the decentralized design routines, and integrates the results into a coherent global design, thereby managing system coordination complexity while preserving decentralized adaptability.
2Loss of energy
If multiple energy resources are integrated, then energy efficiency and environmental impact are improved, but system design and operation complexity increase due to uncertainties
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates multiple energy resources (solar, wind, geothermal, biomass) as separate modular components, each designed and operated independently through bottom-level designers. This modular segmentation allows the system to benefit from diverse energy sources while managing complexity through decentralized design routines coordinated by the top-level designer.
3Productivity
If hierarchical control system is implemented, then operational optimization is improved, but control system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into three hierarchical levels: primary controller for long-term operational scheduling, secondary controllers for daily/short-term orchestration, and tertiary controllers for rapid hardware adjustment. This segmentation distributes computational tasks across different time scales and complexity levels, optimizing operational productivity while managing overall control system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hierarchical control system adds a temporal dimension to complexity management by distributing control tasks across different time scales (long-term, short-term, real-time). Each level operates at its appropriate temporal resolution, allowing the system to achieve operational optimization without requiring all controllers to simultaneously handle full system complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If design system coordinates decentralized routines, then global design quality is improved, but computational time and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The top-level designer performs preliminary coordination actions by establishing design inputs, constraints, and objectives before initiating bottom-level design routines. This preliminary action guides the decentralized design processes, ensuring they converge toward a high-quality global design more efficiently, thereby reducing overall computational time while maintaining design quality.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy management system for enhancing design and operation of a distributed energy resource system includes a two-level design system and a hierarchical optimization-based control system. The two-level design system includes a top-level designer configured to coordinate decentralized bottom-level designers for individual energy resources to seek a global target for the designed distributed energy resource system that satisfies the energy demand of a target deployment location within a confidence level, and multiple bottom-level designers configured to enhance detailed designs of local energy sub-systems. The hierarchical optimization-based control system include a primary controller configured to determine a long-term operational schedule based on long-term constraints and future events at a first level, one or more secondary controllers configured to control daily orchestrations of the distributed energy resource system during operation at a second level, and multiple tertiary controllers and aggregators configured to rapidly adjust various hardware at a third level.