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Control of Dynamic Virtual Power Plants with Distributed Energy Sources
The goal of this project is to develop and test control strategies for a heterogenous group of geographically distributed energy resources (e.g. wind, PV, energy storage systems, etc.) to collectively provide dynamic ancillary services to the power grid.
Keywords: Virtual Power Plant, Power System Dynamics, Power System Control, Power Systems, Distributed Energy Resources, Converter Control, Ensemble Control
Future power systems will have to supply fast ancillary services, such as frequency control and voltage regulation, using distributed energy resources (DERs) in place of today’s centralized power plants. Therefore, it is important to design distributed controllers for this network of DERs so that they can act collectively to provide these desired ancillary services. In our work, we propose to group a collection of heterogeneous DERs into a single dynamic virtual power plant (DVPP), with the goal that in aggregate they will match a desired dynamic behavior (see Figure 1). This is a novel problem formulation both for power systems and in the control community, where we refer to it as ensemble control of heterogenous devices. The challenge is to match the desired aggregate behavior, in the form of a desired transfer function, subject to the individual constraints of each device (i.e. limits on energy, power, response time, etc.). Our recent work has developed two different control approaches for DVPPs where all energy sources are connected _at the same bus:_ (i) a decentralized control design based on a divide-and-conquer strategy using dynamic participation factors, and (ii) a centralized control design which uses a modified version of the recently developed system level synthesis technique and explicitly incorporates state and input constraints.
The focus of this project is on the extension/modification of the latter two existing methods (i) and (ii) to the _geographically distributed situation_, where the DVPP devices are located at different geographical regions within the power system.
Future power systems will have to supply fast ancillary services, such as frequency control and voltage regulation, using distributed energy resources (DERs) in place of today’s centralized power plants. Therefore, it is important to design distributed controllers for this network of DERs so that they can act collectively to provide these desired ancillary services. In our work, we propose to group a collection of heterogeneous DERs into a single dynamic virtual power plant (DVPP), with the goal that in aggregate they will match a desired dynamic behavior (see Figure 1). This is a novel problem formulation both for power systems and in the control community, where we refer to it as ensemble control of heterogenous devices. The challenge is to match the desired aggregate behavior, in the form of a desired transfer function, subject to the individual constraints of each device (i.e. limits on energy, power, response time, etc.). Our recent work has developed two different control approaches for DVPPs where all energy sources are connected _at the same bus:_ (i) a decentralized control design based on a divide-and-conquer strategy using dynamic participation factors, and (ii) a centralized control design which uses a modified version of the recently developed system level synthesis technique and explicitly incorporates state and input constraints.
The focus of this project is on the extension/modification of the latter two existing methods (i) and (ii) to the _geographically distributed situation_, where the DVPP devices are located at different geographical regions within the power system.
1. The student will be introduced to the concept of dynamic virtual power plants and get familiar with the developed DVPP control strategies (i) and (ii).
2. The student will be introduced to existing control designs for power converters and synchronous machines to provide ancillary services to the grid.
3. The student will extend/modify the existing DVPP control strategies (i) and (ii), where all devices are connected at the same bus, in such a way, that geographically distributed devices can be controlled to collectively provide frequency and voltage control at a particular pilot point in the power system.
4. The developed strategies will then be tested on an existing MATLAB test case, which has to be modified appropriately.
5. Finally, the student will use the simulation results to analyze and evaluate the developed strategies.
The project can be adapted on the run if new interesting research directions arise.
**Corona Disclaimer:** This project can be done in person at the Automatic Control Laboratory, hybrid, or completely remotely, depending on the current ETH regulations. Most importantly, we can change between these forms whenever needed.
Finally, if the results are promising they can be turned into a publication.
**Prerequisites:** The student should be familiar with MATLAB and have a strong background on power system analysis, dynamics and control.
1. The student will be introduced to the concept of dynamic virtual power plants and get familiar with the developed DVPP control strategies (i) and (ii). 2. The student will be introduced to existing control designs for power converters and synchronous machines to provide ancillary services to the grid. 3. The student will extend/modify the existing DVPP control strategies (i) and (ii), where all devices are connected at the same bus, in such a way, that geographically distributed devices can be controlled to collectively provide frequency and voltage control at a particular pilot point in the power system. 4. The developed strategies will then be tested on an existing MATLAB test case, which has to be modified appropriately. 5. Finally, the student will use the simulation results to analyze and evaluate the developed strategies.
The project can be adapted on the run if new interesting research directions arise.
**Corona Disclaimer:** This project can be done in person at the Automatic Control Laboratory, hybrid, or completely remotely, depending on the current ETH regulations. Most importantly, we can change between these forms whenever needed. Finally, if the results are promising they can be turned into a publication.
**Prerequisites:** The student should be familiar with MATLAB and have a strong background on power system analysis, dynamics and control.
Please send your resume/CV, degree diploma and transcript of records in PDF format to
mfisher@ethz.ch , verenhae@ethz.ch and eduardo.prieto-araujo@upc.edu
Please send your resume/CV, degree diploma and transcript of records in PDF format to mfisher@ethz.ch , verenhae@ethz.ch and eduardo.prieto-araujo@upc.edu