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Electricity system planning with distributed energy resources : new methods and insights for economics, regulation, and policy

Thesis: Ph. D. in Engineering Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, 2018. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Page 274 blank. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-273). / This dissertation demonstrates a novel integrated electric power system planning framework that incorporates distributed energy resources (DERs), flexible and price-responsive demand, and distribution network losses and reinforcement costs. New methods are developed and demonstrated to derive the aggregate impact of demand and DERs on distribution network losses and upgrade costs from detailed distribution network simulations. The results from these simulations are used to parameterize a novel and tractable representation of distribution networks at an aggregate scale in a new formulation of the electricity resource capacity planning problem. A set of case studies demonstrate the utility of this modeling framework for modeling competition amongst distributed and centralized resources, exploring tradeoffs between economies of unit scale and locational value of various resources, assessing the value of price-responsive electricity demand, and considering the impact of policy or regulation that drives the adoption of DERs. Methodologically, this dissertation makes a set of contributions, including: 1. A new approach to using AC power flow simulations to accurately derive the effect of aggregate changes in power withdrawals and injections on resistive network losses in large-scale distribution networks. 2. A method for adapting AC optimal power flow simulations to identify the minimum quantity of net reductions in coincident peak demand (achieved either by demand flexibility or distributed generation or storage) necessary to accommodate demand growth in large-scale distribution networks without investment in new network assets (e.g., 'non-wires' alternatives). 3. A method for using a distribution network planning model to determine the cost of traditional network upgrades required to accommodate an equivalent increase in peak demand. 4. An integrated electricity resource capacity planning model that employs results from the above methods to incorporate DERs and flexible demand and consider key sources of locational value or cost, including impacts on transmission and distribution network costs and losses. Electricity system planning models provide decision support for electric utilities, insight for policy-makers, and a detailed techno-economic framework to evaluate emerging technologies. Collectively, the new methods demonstrated herein expand the capabilities of these important planning tools to keep pace with a rapidly evolving electric power sector. / by Jesse D. Jenkins. / Ph. D. in Engineering Systems

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MIT/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/120611
Date January 2018
CreatorsJenkins, Jesse D. (Jesse David)
ContributorsIgnacio J. PĂ©rez Arriaga., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
PublisherMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Source SetsM.I.T. Theses and Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format274 pages, application/pdf
RightsMIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission., http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

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