Community Energy Management Systems for Demand-Side Flexibility and Voltage Support

Abstract

This paper presents a community energy management system (CEMS) for coordinating flexible residential devices, including electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, photovoltaic (PV) systems, and batteries. The framework focuses on demand-side flexibility and voltage support for the local distribution system operator. Device-specific control strategies adjust active power in response to local voltage conditions while considering operating requirements and constraints. Heating requirements are represented by prescribed thermal-demand profiles for space heating and domestic hot water, together with thermal-storage temperature limits. The framework is evaluated through a DIgSILENT PowerFactory model of a Danish local energy community comprising 13 building clusters. The 24 h simulation examines device operation, transformer power exchange, and nodal voltages. In the studied scenario, bus voltages remain approximately within 0.982–1.014 p.u., satisfying the adopted operating limits of 0.95–1.05 p.u. The evaluation addresses electrical operation and thermal-storage behavior; indoor thermal comfort and electricity-cost savings are outside its scope.