Responsive End-User-Based Demand Side Management in Multimicrogrid Environment

This paper presents an agent-based demand side management framework (ADSMF) as an intelligent solution to shorten the supply–demand gap in microgrids by forming virtual market environments that allow neighboring microgrids to trade with each other. The framework does two essential tasks: 1) routing power from surplus locations to deficit locations by effectively coordinating with distributed energy resources (DERs); and 2) enabling customers’ participation in electricity enterprise through demand response (DR). The low preference loads of the end-users are grouped into two categories, viz. shiftable and curtailable loads, according to the level of flexibility involved in their operation. Also, three smart DR options are identified to allow the customers to choose as per their requirement. The customer’s participation is encouraged through a priority-based incentive mechanism. The proposed incentive mechanism uses frequency of participation of customers in DR and their contribution to benefit gained by the overall system to cater the incentives. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated by applying on a case study network with two grid-tied microgrids simulated using Java Agent DEvelopment framework (JADE). The extensive simulation studies on the test network have proved the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed agent-based framework in mitigating the supply–demand gap in multimicrogrid environment.