Robust scheduling of variable wind generation by coordination of bulk energy storages and demand response

Abstract The intermittent nature of wind generation will lead to greater demands for operational flexibility. Traditionally, reserves came from conventional power plants provide the majority of additional required flexibility leading to higher efficiency losses due to technical restrictions of such units. Recently, demand response programs and emerging utility-scale energy storages gained much attention as other flexible options. Under this perspective, this paper proposes a robust optimization scheduling framework to derive an optimal unit commitment decision in systems with high penetration of wind power incorporating demand response programs as well as bulk energy storages in co-optimized energy and reserve markets. In this regard, an improved demand response model is presented using the economic model of responsive loads based on customer’s behavior concept that gives choice right opportunity to customers in order to participate in their desired demand response strategy. Moreover, bulk energy storages are considered to be as active market participants. Computational results demonstrate how coordinated operation of different type of demand response programs and bulk energy storages can help accommodate wind power uncertainty from the economic and technical points of view.