System-wide benefits of renewable-based virtual power plants in island power systems

Abstract

Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) have experienced significant growth in recent years. RES-based Virtual Power Plants (RVPPs) allow aggregating smaller RES-based Distributed Generators (DGs). This paper presents a system-wide analysis of the impact of RVPP in the operation of islands. Islands are typically operated under a centralized scheme, where the system operator determines the commitment status and active power set point utilizing a unit commitment (UC) over different time horizons. In this regard, the system-wide impact can be assessed through solving the UC. Realistic RVPP configuration and penetration scenarios are defined. Results show that scheduling RVPP alongside other units can lead to operation cost reduction and improvement in frequency response.