Energy Scheduling Strategies for Grid-connected Microgrids: A Case Study on Chalmers Campus

This paper focuses on the optimal energy management of grid-connected microgrids with battery energy storage systems. The microgrid energy management and the optimal power flow of the distribution network are formulated as mixed-integer linear optimization problems to evaluate microgrid energy scheduling strategies including cost minimization, maximum use of own resources, and minimum energy exchange with the upstream network. The real distribution network of Chalmers University of Technology campus is used as a case study. The study results show that economic optimization yields an annual microgrid cost reduction of 4%. Alternatively, if the microgrid minimizes the energy exchange, virtual islanding operation (zero energy exchange) for 3211 hours can be achieved within a year. The results also present the effects on the operation and cost of the distribution system and highlight a trade-off between microgrid cost minimization and battery lifetime.