Interactive Control Strategies for Flexible Load Aggregation Under Different Market Mechanisms

Abstract

The global shift toward renewable energy integration presents significant challenges for power grid stability due to the intermittent and uncertain nature of these resources. This paper addresses these challenges by developing and evaluating interactive control strategies for aggregating heterogeneous flexible loads, specifically air conditioning (AC) systems and electric vehicles (EVs), within different electricity market frameworks. The purpose of this work is to establish a unified methodology for modeling, evaluating, and scheduling these diverse loads to enhance grid flexibility and support renewable energy consumption. The scope includes the development of individual thermodynamic and charging dynamic models for ACs and EVs, their aggregation into a virtual energy storage system, and the creation of a novel de-heterogenized margin index to quantify and prioritize their regulation potential. Procedures involved constructing a multistage scheduling architecture—comprising day-ahead, intraday, and real-time markets—and testing it using numerical simulations of a modified IEEE 30-Bus system. Major findings demonstrate that the proposed coordinated control strategy effectively reduces system peak-to-valley load differences, minimizes wind curtailment, and optimizes overall operational costs. The framework provides a scalable solution for leveraging flexible load aggregation to improve grid reliability and economic efficiency, offering significant implications for the operation of future active distribution networks with high renewable penetration.