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

This paper focuses on the optimal energy managementof grid-connected microgrids with battery energy storagesystems. The microgrid energy management and the optimalpower flow of the distribution network are formulated as mixed-integerlinear optimization problems to evaluate microgrid energyscheduling strategies including cost minimization, maximum useof own resources, and minimum energy exchange with theupstream network. The real distribution network of ChalmersUniversity of Technology campus is used as a case study. Thestudy results show that economic optimization yields an annualmicrogrid cost reduction of 4%. Alternatively, if the microgridminimizes the energy exchange, virtual islanding operation (zeroenergy exchange) for 3211 hours can be achieved within a year.The results also present the effects on the operation and costof the distribution system and highlight a trade-off betweenmicrogrid cost minimization and battery lifetime