Shared Energy Storage and Direct Load Control for Improved Flexibility of Distribution System Operation

In this study, an optimization problem is proposed for improving the flexibility of a distribution system including shared energy storage systems (ESSs) and residential consumers with elastic heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units. To this end, a direct compressor control mechanism (DCCM) is used for meeting the load reduction target of load serving entities (LSEs) by controlling the HVACs, and an optimal management strategy is presented for exploiting the benefits of shared ESSs during critical peak periods. Furthermore, an additional objective is included in the problem structure, which leads to a bi-level optimization problem, in order to reduce the possible consumers' discomfort caused by frequent HVAC interruptions. The effectiveness of the proposed bi-level optimization problem is demonstrated by comparing various performance metrics with those of two benchmark methods.