Energy flexibility from prosumers and BESS coordination to support distribution network operation

With the new Dutch regulation on banning the newly-built petrol vehicles by 2030, urban areas are predicted in the short-term local congestion situation dues to the high penetration level of electric vehicles. These vehicles with fast charging technologies require a high electric demand over some hours to charge their batteries. In order to provide a feasible solution at the utility level to that problem, large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are considered as vital means to provide flexibility and effectively support the local networks. However, the capital cost of the BESS is still a main concern leading to a cost-effective operation schedule is required to ensure the desirable power quality while the lifetime of BESS is extended. This paper investigates the solutions to the power congestion problem and under-voltage issue of a Dutch medium voltage network around the Amsterdam Arena stadium once the penetration of electric vehicles keeps increasing in the years to come. The coordination scheme among BESS is then proposed to ensure the maximum life span of BESS. The numerical results from this work confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of the large-scale BESS in modern distribution networks and suggest the potential benefit that the stadium owner could gain when their BESS system supports the local network.