Optimization of electrical energy distribution systems with decentralized energy resources considering spatiotemporal data analysis

• Grant number: 24/20578-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Henrique Faria Macedo Possagnolo
• Grantee: Andreia da Silva Santos de Faria
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia e Ciências (FEC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rosana. Rosana , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Decentralized energy resources (DERs), such as photovoltaic distributed generation units and electric vehicles, play essential roles in mitigating environmental impacts and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. However, the massive and uncoordinated integration of DERs imposes new challenges on the infrastructure of electric power distribution systems (EPDS), such as overvoltage, imbalances between generation and demand, and overloads in the distribution network. Most studies in the specialized literature focus on the impacts and benefits of DERs without estimating their spatiotemporal variation across the geographic space, which significantly influences network operation. In this context, this project aims to fill this gap by integrating spatial data analysis techniques (SDA) with a metaheuristic technique to mitigate the impacts resulting from the massive integration of DERs. Additionally, these methods can be applied to improve the resilience of the power system during extreme events. The project is structured into four main stages: (i) spatiotemporal estimation of photovoltaic potential by area, (ii) spatiotemporal estimation of city areas with a high probability of electric vehicle adoption, (iii) spatial estimation of areas where feeders are most vulnerable to faults, and (iv) development of an optimization technique for EPDS operation planning to mitigate the impacts of DERs on the electric grid and improve resilience, especially in vulnerable areas. The results of this project will provide a decision-making tool for optimized power grid operation planning, enabling energy distribution companies to implement preventive actions, anticipating the massive integration of DERs and impacts on resilience. (AU)