Distributed Building Energy Storage Units for Frequency Control Service in Power Systems

Abstract This paper presents a dynamical Building-to-Grid (BtG) framework with explicit hierarchical interactions between Transmission System Operator (TSO), Distribution System Operator (DSO), and Building energy storage units (BLD). Such a proposed hierarchical multi-level framework, yields a realistic model of the future power system, which can be used to present the interaction between different stakeholders in the power system. Using a centralized model predictive control (MPC) to optimize BLD, DSO, and TSO control variables simultaneously over a common time horizon, we demonstrate the potential role of individual buildings in frequency control of the power system, by introducing electrical energy storage units in the BtG framework. We present the power grid regulative capacity of building storage flexibility by coupling BLD, DSO, and TSO decisions and solving the corresponding finite-horizon optimal control problem in a receding horizon fashion. An extended IEEE five bus power system case study coupled with two DSOs, each contains seven buildings, is presented to illustrate functionality of the developed integrated hierarchical BtG model and the flexibility obtained via building energy storage units for the frequency control service in power system.