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The Virtual Power Plant Neckar-Alb is a demonstration platform for operation, optimization and control of distributed energy resources, which are able to produce, store or consume electric energy. A heterogeneous set of distributed energy devices has been installed at the Campus of Reutlingen University by the Reutlingen Energy Centre (REZ) of the School of Engineering. The distributed energy devices have been combined to local microgrids and connected to an operative central power plant with additional participants. The demonstration platform serves students, researchers and industry experts for education and investigation of new technologies, devices and software.
The increase in distributed energy generation, such as photovoltaic systems (PV) or combined heat and power plants (CHP), poses new challenges to almost every distribution network operator (DNO). In the low-voltage (LV) grids, where installed PV capacity approaches the magnitude of household load, reverse power flow occurs at the secondary substa-tions. High PV penetration leads to voltage rise, flicker and loading problems. These problems have been addressed by the application of various techniques amongst which is the deployment of step voltage regulators (SVR). SVR can solve the voltage problem, but do not prevent or reduce reverse power flows. Therefore, the application of SVR in low voltage grids can result in significant power losses upstream. In this paper we present part of a research project investi-gating the application of remote-controlled cable cabinets (CC) with metering units in a low-voltage network as a possible alternative for SVR. A new generation of custom-made remote-control cable cabinets has been deployed and dynamic network reconfigurations (NR) have been realized with the following objectives: (i) reduction of reverse power flow through the secondary substation to the upstream network and therefore a reduction of upstream losses, (ii) reduction of the voltage rise caused by distributed energy resources and (iii) load balancing in the low-voltage grid. Secondary objec-tives are to improve the DNO's insight into the state of the network and to provide further information on future smart grid integration.
This paper describes the analysis of day-ahead power market data from the European Power Exchange (EPEX) SPOT over a period of 17 months till October 2020 and the forecasting model for electricity prices. High volatility of the DE-LU (Germany and Luxembourg) power market in order to improve the planning of the bidding strategy and maximize benefits was reflected. Forecasting models based on the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) approach and artificial neural networks are developed to predict Day-Ahead prices up to a week ahead. Models are built for a virtual power plant Neckar-Alb and will be used as a part of an optimization tool for the operationtimetable of connected distributed energy devices
A digital twin - a replica of energy devices - was established in the computing environment of MATLAB and Simulink. It simulates continuously their operation and is time synchronized and connected to the cenral energy management and control system of a virtual power plant. The model can be used as a platform for testing device performance in various conditions, working schedules and new optimization options.
Decentralisation and increasing energy efficiency are factors of success of the 'Energiewende'. Sensible interlinking of various energy markets will support and speed up the energy system transformation process. This concept study looks at and discusses an innovative approach to integrate power, heat and the mobility market using hybrid vehicles. Automobile electrification is steadily rising and goes hand-in-hand with qualitative (larger energy storage options) and quantitative storage capacity (much more hybrid vehicles). Further utilisation options of electrical storage units in e-vehicles for intermediate storage to compensate volatile renewable energy sources are being discussed and tested. The innovative approach of integrating future full-hybrid vehicles with the principle of 'combined heat and power' to supply energy to buildings is not being pursued in depth, or even at all. In this approach both the electrical and also the thermal energy produced would be used as supply sources for the building.
The demonstration project Virtual Power Plant Neckar-Alb is constructing a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) demonstration site at the Reutlingen University campus. The VPP demonstrator integrates a heterogeneous set of distributed energy resources (DERs) which are connected to control the infrastructure and an energy management system. This paper describes the components and the architecture of the demonstrator and presents strategies for demonstration of multiple optimization and control systems with different control paradigms.