Grid Services Co-Optimization of Battery Energy Storage Systems with Conservation Voltage Reduction

Peak demand management is implemented in a number of ways including the dispatch of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and the utilization of Conservation Voltage Re-duction (CVR). This work studied and tested the co-optimization of the operation of both technologies and considers the addition of a BESS inverter operating off of unity power factor (PF) utilizing one of North Carolina Electric Cooperatives' (NCEC) microgrids (MGs). NCEC owns and operates multiple Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), including MGs, and desires to expand their operational capabilities to include grid services. First a study modeled CVR, BESS dispatch, and off unity BESS operation for peak demand management. Findings from the study were then incorporated into field tests to validate dispatch strategies and conclusions from the study. Real and reactive power injection during a CVR event was found to be the optimal dispatch strategy for the microgrid BESS that was studied. This optimal dispatch strategy was effectively implemented during the testing that was conducted.