Optimal Peak Shaving Control Using Dynamic Demand and Feed-In Limits for Grid-Connected PV Sources With Batteries

Peak shaving of utility grid power is an important application, which benefits both grid operators and end users. In this article, an optimal rule-based peak shaving control strategy with dynamic demand and feed-in limits is proposed for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery energy storage systems. A method to determine demand and feed-in limits depending on the day-ahead predictions of load demand and PV power profiles is developed. Furthermore, an optimal rule-based control strategy that determines day-ahead charge/discharge schedules of battery for peak shaving of utility grid power is proposed. The rules are formulated such that the peak utility grid demand and feed-in powers are limited to the corresponding demand and feed-in limits of the day, respectively, while ensuring that the state-of-charge (SoC) of the battery at the end of the day is the same as the SoC of the start of the day. The optimal inputs required for applying the proposed rule-based control strategy are determined using a genetic algorithm for minimizing peak energy drawn from the utility grid. The proposed control algorithm is tested for various PV power and load demand profiles using MATLAB.