Dynamic Resource Allocation through Semi-structured Adaptation

Many of today’s systems are complex, distributed and networked, often situated in very dynamic environments. Such systems are often designed to adapt to change autonomically, to manage themselves autonomously. The Smart Energy Grid is an example of a large scale distributed system for which Distributed Energy Resource Management is crucial. This paper proposes a loosely coordinated management structure for Virtual Power Stations (VPS): hierarchical configuration. Within VPSs individual consumers and producers each with their own goals and responsibilities also share responsibility for collective goals such as reliability. Hierarchic selfmanagement combines the strengths of centralised approaches with clear contracts and dependencies, with the strength of a fully decentralised approach within which distributed parts of a system adapt autonomously. Agent-based simulation experiments illustrate the potential of a hierarchical approach for distribution of resources within and between Virtual Power Stations as conditions change. Comparisons to centralised management and to fully decentralised management show that performance of the hierarchical approach is close to a centralised approach, whilst flexibility and scaleability are comparable to a fully decentralised approach.