Policies and Power Systems Resilience Under Time-Based Stochastic Process of Contingencies in Networked Microgrids

Given the increasing occurrence of high-impact low-probability (HILP) contingencies in existing power systems, strengthening the resilience of these systems has become of paramount importance. Enhancing the resilience of power systems is not solely a technical issue but also a socio-economic and policy concern. Therefore, improving the performance of power systems greatly relies on the guidance provided by energy policies. While the decarbonization response, supported by these policies to mitigate climate change, influences the adoption of energy technologies, its impact on the resilience of the system remains uncertain. To uncover the interactions between technologies, policies, and economics concerning power systems resilience, this study focuses on constructing resilience-oriented networked microgrid systems. It develops a two-stage stochastic programming model by integrating a method for selecting power outage scenarios identified by users, in the presence of emissions policies. The results confirm the contributions of integrated systems in enhancing resilience, but they also reveal that low-carbon emissions policies play an inhibiting role by increasing the financial costs associated with resilience planning and operations. Nevertheless, a 30% emissions reduction threshold can still be achieved from the integrated network, facilitating the dual benefits of maximizing emissions reduction and minimizing the burden of emissions taxes. The study's contributions are threefold: firstly, it incorporates techno-economic incentives and regulations simultaneously; secondly, it quantifies the unintended consequences of policies on resilience; and thirdly, it provides constructive guidance for future energy policymaking, particularly in maintaining system resilience.