Medium- and low-voltage planning of large-scale electric power distribution systems through metaheuristics decomposition techniques

Abstract

Increased demand, technological advances, and demands of government sectors have made the development of mathematical models dedicated to the planning of electric power distribution becomes more robust, complex and efficient. In addition, mathematical models should be able to consider the trends imposed on the energy distribution systems, incorporating the most diverse types of devices installed on distribution networks (distributed generators from renewable and non-renewable sources, storage sources, electric vehicles). Real distribution systems often have thousands of nodes, needing to expand their investments. Thus, most of the researches proposed in the literature performs the medium (MV) and low voltage (LV) planning separately. In the search for integrated solutions of MV and LV systems planning, most of the works in the literature propose to solve the planning through hierarchical techniques. When solved in an integrated way, several simplifications are made in the mathematical model, being possible to solve only small and medium-sized systems, which do not represent the practical problems of the real world. In this sense, this research project proposes the development of a methodology based on metaheuristic decomposition techniques, associated with parallel computing techniques for the solution of planning models of MV/LV integrated large-scale distribution systems. In the mathematical model, distributed generators from renewable sources, energy storage sources, and electric vehicles should be incorporated, seeking to meet the current trends of the electric sector, as well as representing practical problems. (AU)