Overview of software tools for integration and active management of high penetration of DERs in emerging distribution networks

Emerging types of software and communication systems that manage distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaic, wind turbines, flywheels, battery storage systems, etc. are termed Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERMS). When properly deployed, their capabilities provide multiple benefits to both, utilities and their customers. DERMS consists of a set of software management tools that allow distribution companies and operators to manage a range of DERs, and offer almost real-time network control. DERMS can help tremendously in integrating, managing, and controlling flexible and intermittent DERs and electric demand. These analyses contribute to keeping the transmission and distribution system in sync with the efficient and reliable balance of supply and demand that should lead to ideally optimization of power flows, electric demand, DERs, and traditional centralized generation. Moreover, in order to handle distributed generation (DG) and to intensify its visibility within power markets, the idea of virtual power plant (VPP) has emerged. Dynamic, automated, and cost-effective management of the distribution system is achieved with DERMS tools that are presented in this paper. Moreover, various hierarchy-levels of DERMS tools co-exist nowadays, such as DER aggregator, VPP, Utility DERMS, and they all can tremendously improve efficiency of Active Distribution Networks (ADN). This paper presents an overview of the current state-of-the-art regarding various DERMS tools, and their capabilities to increase the overall distribution system efficiency.