Utility Oriented Demand Side Management Using Smart AC and Micro DC Grid Cooperative

DC microgrid provides a viable and more efficient option to cater for DC loads in the building space and, in particular, data centers. This paper investigates the opportunities associated for utilities to optimize industrial demand response for smart AC and DC microgrid environment thus facilitating distribution utility to reduce peak energy on the existing AC distribution system. A load shifting demand side management (DSM) technique is used to shift AC industrial loads in response to time of day (TOD) tariff. Hence, an attempt has been made to study the impact of DSM strategies with optimal shifting of AC devices in the presence of DC microgrid. Simulations are carried out on a practical distribution system having large industrial loads but it has been assumed that the AC distribution system has DC microgrid with renewables and battery storage systems (BSSs). DSM results for AC distribution grid are compared and analyzed with differing DC microgrid set ups, for example with and without battery storage. It has been observed that the DSM strategy with DC microgrid in the presence of solar renewables and battery storage can substantially reduce average energy cost for demand to response and peak load burden on AC distribution utilities.