Techno‐economic analysis of solar grid‐based virtual power plant in Indian power sector: A case study

摘要

The environmental threat and rising fuel prices are the two major challenges faced by the utility to provide clean and affordable electricity to the consumers. The change in government policies provides assistance for large-scale deployment of Distributed Energy Resource (DER) like rooftop solar PV, but at the same time, the intermittent nature of this renewable-based DER produce adverse effects on utility stability and its economic viability. The concept of virtual power plant (VPP) can be a possible solution for these issues through coordination and scheduling of DER, storage, and flexible load, which results in secure operation with high penetration of DER and utility peak-load reduction. In this paper, the Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM) is utilized, which is a Mixed Integer Linear Programming-based decision-making tool. For determining the potential of VPP and its implications, a case study of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), a state power utility, is studied. The main objectives of the paper are cost minimization, peak-load reduction, and reliability enhancement. The DER-CAM model simulates different load profiles, and the optimal investment solution is determined, which ensures monetary benefits for both consumer and utility.