Evaluation of Energy Market Platforms Potential in Microgrids: Scenario Analysis Based on a Double-Sided Auction

Local energy markets represent a mean for distributed energy resources trading for prosumers and energy management for utilities. In these markets, prosumers either trade or shift their loads to maximize their trading gains via communicating with an energy market platform. The utility considers the trading process as an approach to maximize the autonomy and minimize the peak loads. The benefits of the prosumer and utility can vary depending on several parameters such as the market rules, microgrid configurations, or the lifestyle and social behavior of the market participants. In this paper, selected scenarios are presented that discuss and analyze the major factors influencing the market dynamics and microgrid energy balance based on a forward double-sided auction market model simulation. These scenarios are divided into three scenario groups that consider market design parameters, microgrid configurations, and user behavior. Furthermore, the same scenarios are once more evaluated using a reference model, where no market platform is integrated, so that the results of the energy market can be compared. The results are analyzed based on multiple metrics from the perspective of the prosumer and utility to quantify and compare the benefits of the two major market players.