Optimization Model for the Analysis of Multiple Energy Communities in the Same Distribution Network with Different Providers

The current regulatory framework allows the presence of more than one community in the same distribution network. Participation in a community allows direct power exchanges with the other members. Users are free to take part in a community or not and they can also choose a different energy provider from those of the other participants. By means of a specifically developed optimization model, the paper analyzes the effects of the presence of multiple communities and of different providers. The model defines the price of the transactions among the community participants as shadow prices of the relevant balance constraints. The day-ahead scheduling for different numbers and configurations of energy communities are presented for the IEEE 123-bus feeder test system. The results show that procurement costs increase as the number of communities increases. Scheduling of transactions among participants in the same community is affected by the tariffs set by different providers.