A distributed control algorithm for the electricity infrastructure
Fjo De Ridder, Flemish Institute for Technological Research
VITO - Energy Technology,
http://www.vito.be
(Joint work with Maarten Hommelberg and Guy Vekemans)
Today we see the penetration of PV panels on our roofs and wind power in rural areas. In the near future combined heat and power systems will turn our homes into small electricity plants. This ongoing shift from central generation to decentral generation causes the need for radical changes in the electricity infrastructure.
The electricity infrastructure has up to now been controlled in a centralized, top-down structure. Decentralisation of power generation creates the need for decentralised - or distributed - control. New concepts will have to ensure that the power system remains secure.
The control algorithm, presented, is a software concept for distributed control of power producers, power consumers and storage systems. It enables control of a cluster of devices, such that the cluster behaves as one single system. This is achieved by tuning demand and supply within the cluster.
In this presentation, we will briefly discuss this distributed control algorithm, one or two applications, some of our projects and will highlight the most important shortcomings of the algorithm.
Slides
