Coordinated operation scheduling method for BESS and thermal generators based on photovoltaic generation forecasts released every several hours

The application of photovoltaic (PV) generation forecasting to supply-demand operation is essential for power systems with large integrations of PV generation. Forecasting errors may cause supply-demand imbalances such as power shortfall and surplus, which lead to outage and PV curtailment, respectively. Thus, it is important to improve forecasting accuracy. However, even if forecasting is completely accurate, PV curtailment is occasionally necessary in power systems with extremely large installed PV capacity. In this case, energy storage devices, such as a battery energy storage system (BESS), are necessary for more efficient use of PV energy. In this study, we propose a coordinated control method for a BESS and thermal generators considering their unit commitment. The method is based on forecasted PV power outputs that are released and updated every several hours. Numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method for decreasing supply-demand imbalances.