Introduction
This guide delves into the intricacies of Virtual Power Plant (VPP) operations, providing a detailed walkthrough for VPP operators.
The first section unravels the concepts underpinning SwitchDin's VPP, equipping you with a thorough understanding of its functionalities. Additionally, the SwitchDin VPP application's features are described and explained, ensuring you're equipped to navigate its interface.
The second section embarks on a hands-on journey, guiding you through the operational and configurational aspects of the VPP. It outlines the prerequisites for establishing a VPP, guiding you through the setup process, and ensuring seamless implementation. Furthermore, this section deciphers the intricacies of interpreting the VPP's graphical representations, empowering you to make informed decisions based on insightful data visualizations.
Key Concepts
Navigate our VPP Interface
The Overview section
The Settings section
Key Concepts
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
A Distributed Energy Resource (DER) is any controllable generator or load that can be used to influence some Control Target. In other words, any device that can produce or consume electricity can be considered a DER.
Device Classes
DERs are categorized into Device Class taxonomies. This means that DERs are grouped based on their type or function. For example, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), PV inverters, and controllable loads are all different Device Classes.
Control Targets
A Control Target is some measurement from the electricity network that DERs can be used to influence. For example, a Control Target might be the power level of a local transformer or the spot price of electricity on the market.
Operational Instructions (OIs)
DERs can be used to increase or decrease the demand for electricity on the network using one or more Operational Instructions (OIs). OIs are essentially commands that are sent to DERs to tell them how to behave. For example, an OI might be to set a BESS to export 50% of its power to the grid.
Demand Increase (DI) Resources
OIs that increase the electrical load on the network are referred to as Demand Increase (DI) resources. For example, an OI to turn on an air conditioner would be a DI resource.
Demand Reduction (DR) Resources
OIs that reduce demand are referred to as Demand Reduction (DR) resources. For example, an OI to turn off a water heater would be a DR resource.
Dispatchable Resources
A Dispatchable Resource is a DER that can be controlled by the VPP operator. In other words, the VPP operator can send OIs to a Dispatchable Resource to tell it how to behave.
Merit Order
The VPP operator has a preference for which Dispatchable Resources to use. This order of preference is called the Merit Order. The Merit Order is configured into the system during the design of the VPP.
Control Groups
Control Groups are used to enroll multiple Dispatchable Resources into a single controllable asset pool. This allows the VPP operator to manage groups of DERs as if they were a single asset.
Physical DERs
A physical DER is an instance of a Device Class at a given location. For example, a rooftop solar panel array is a physical DER.
Unit
A Unit is a SwitchDin platform term for a physical DER.
The Overview section
The overview section can be selected from the toolbar at the bottom of the VPP homepage.
The following pages give you the option to dispatch VPP control options and monitor the status of the network.
Status
The status page provides a real-time overview of all the units currently enrolled in the VPP. For each unit, you can view the control group they are assigned to, as well as detailed information about their power output and the current controls applied to the site. The status page is divided into five sections: Grid, Photovoltaic (PV), Batteries (BESS), Air Conditioning (AC), and Hot Water (HW). These sections represent the four controllable asset types and the grid monitoring. The information in each section is updated in real-time.
Operation
The Operation tab provides a comprehensive overview of the VPP's current state. It gathers and displays information to give the operator the most up-to-date understanding of the VPP's operation. This page allows you to view the total power available for dispatch and the status of any active dispatched commands. With this information, a human operator can also initiate an unscheduled dispatch from this page.
The page is divided into three sections:
Central Graph: The central graph displays the load demand limits, as well as the current, previous, and forecasted demand. This graph helps you visualize the VPP's demand patterns and identify any potential issues.
Right-Side Graphs: The smaller graphs on the right side provide detailed information about the demand and currently dispatched devices. They allow you to switch between the Demand Reduction and Demand Increase views, giving you a breakdown of power consumption and generation.
Instruction Table: The table at the bottom of the page displays the current and future operational instructions enforced by the VPP. This table provides details about the target group for these instructions, their merit order, a description of the instruction, the current power dispatched, and the power available for dispatch.
This comprehensive overview allows the operator to make informed decisions regarding the VPP's operation, ensuring efficient and effective energy management.
Analytics
The Analytics tab offers a historical perspective of the VPP's operation, similar to the Operations tab but with the ability to view past data. The VPP data is presented in one-minute intervals, and you can adjust the timeframe and date using the menus above the graph. To further narrow down the available data, you can utilize the sliders located beneath the graph.
Essentially, the Analytics tab serves as a historical archive of the VPP's performance, enabling you to analyze trends, identify patterns, and gain insights into the VPP's behavior over time.
Located at the bottom of the page is a table that summarizes past dispatch events. This table includes details such as the dispatch type, the start time, and the end time. By reviewing this table, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the VPP's dispatch history and identify any trends or patterns in dispatch activity.
The Settings section
Automation
General
Group
Merit
Schedules
Policies
Users
To access the VPP's settings options, click the "Settings" button located on the toolbar at the bottom of the page. This action will open a comprehensive menu providing all the necessary controls and options for managing the VPP's operation.
These options encompass a wide range of functionalities, including:
- Editing Control Groups: Modify the configuration of control groups, which categorize and manage groups of DERs.
- Changing Merit Orders: Adjust the priority order of DERs, determining which DERs are preferentially utilized during dispatch events.
- Creating Schedules and Policies: Establish schedules and policies that automate the VPP's operation, ensuring efficient energy management.
- Editing User Permissions and Access: Define user permissions and access levels, controlling who can access and modify the VPP's settings.
By utilizing these settings options, you can effectively manage and optimize the VPP's operation, ensuring its efficient and effective contribution to the power grid.
Automation
The Virtual Power Plant (VPP) utilizes a specified metric to determine whether to increase or decrease demand in accordance with the pre-established schedules, merit order, and control groups. You have the flexibility to base the VPP's operation on either the power output of your system or the prevailing spot price of electricity in your market. SCADA is another option based on the use of virtual droplets and not covered here in this guide.
Important Notes:
- Control Target Selection: Upon selecting a reference point for automation, whether power or price, proceed to create an auto control by following the instructions provided in the Schedules tab.
- FCAS Operation: If you intend to utilize Frequency Containment Ancillary Services (FCAS), selecting the price option is your only option.
Power Control Target
When you choose to use power as the reference point for regulating demand increase or decrease, the measurement is typically obtained from a transformer with an attached droplet. You'll need to select the Unit and the metric. Next, you'll need to define the upper and lower limits that trigger the VPP to initiate an event. Select the Unit by accessing the Units field, then select the appropriate metric, such as real power or apparent power. You can then define the upper and lower limits.
The upper limit represents the maximum power threshold that, when exceeded, triggers the VPP to reduce demand (for example: export PV, discharge battery, and turn down some loads).
The lower limit represents the minimum power threshold that, when dipped below, prompts the VPP to increase demand (for example: charge the battery or turn up some loads).
By defining these limits, you effectively instruct the VPP to maintain power consumption within the specified range, ensuring efficient energy management.
The Price option functions similarly to the Power Control Target, aiming to reduce demand when the price reaches a predefined upper limit and increase demand, purchasing energy, when the market price falls below a specified threshold. This strategy can potentially generate revenue if the price turns negative.
To ensure accurate price-based demand management, it's crucial to select the relevant market in which your VPP operates. By selecting the correct market, the VPP can effectively monitor and respond to price fluctuations, optimizing demand accordingly.
The upper limit represents the maximum price point beyond which the VPP will initiate demand reduction.
The lower limit represents the minimum price point below which the VPP will initiate a demand increase or energy purchase.
By defining these thresholds, you enable the VPP to capitalize on favorable market conditions while minimizing costs during periods of high electricity prices.
General
The General tab is where you set the name of the VPP and optionally add a description - like running FCAS. Most importantly, you will need to set the local time zone in which controls will operate. by selecting from the drop-down menu.
Group
The Group tab provides a comprehensive overview of all the control groups currently active within the VPP. These control groups represent groupings of units enrolled in the VPP, allowing for categorized management. The units can be grouped based on various factors, including location, inverter type, loads, or PV characteristics.
Before a unit can be assigned to a control group, it must have at least one of the following devices configured: PV (photovoltaic), BESS (battery energy storage system), A/C (air conditioning), or Hot Water. Additionally, the VPP operator must have access to the unit or its associated portfolio. While not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that the units include address, contact information, and NMI (National Meter Identifier) details. Moreover, the unit must have an inverter equipped with a configured controller.
The group page is divided into two columns:
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Control Groups Panel: Located on the left side, the "Control Groups" panel displays a list of all defined control groups within the VPP.
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Units Panel: Positioned on the right side, the "Units" panel displays detailed information about the units belonging to the selected control group. It is possible to select multiple control groups simultaneously, and the information for all selected control groups will be displayed.
This organized presentation of control groups and their associated units facilitates efficient management and monitoring of the VPP's assets.
Merit
In SwitchDin's VPP, merit orders are used to determine the priority of operational instructions. By establishing these merit orders, you can direct the units in the VPP to respond according to the current demand situation. This mechanism allows the VPP operator to prioritize instructions, enabling PV (photovoltaic) generation and loads to be adjusted gradually rather than imposing a flat curtailment or reducing the overall load of the units.
In essence, merit orders serve as a ranking system for operational instructions. This ranking system guides the VPP controller in selecting which instructions to execute first, ensuring a more efficient and flexible approach to managing energy resources.
The merit order of the instructions determines the sequence in which they should be applied to the control groups. Instructions with a lower merit order are executed first. For instance, in the screenshot, OI8 would be applied first (metric 1) and then OI2 if necessary (metric 2). This means that the system would first prioritize maximizing battery (BESS) power export, and if further action is required, it would then reduce the air conditioning (A/C) load to 50%.
Schedules
Scheduling allows you to pre-program specific commands or operating instructions to be sent to the VPP at a set time and then automatically canceled at a designated time. These schedules offer considerable flexibility and can be configured to repeat on specific days of the week or remain active over extended periods, such as months, to accommodate seasonal variations.
Dispatches are classified into two categories: scheduled and unscheduled. A human operator initiates an unscheduled dispatch at an arbitrary time. This should not be mistaken for a scheduled manual dispatch, where the metric and demand response type are manually specified, but the dispatch still occurs automatically at a predetermined time. Unscheduled dispatches can be triggered from the Operations page.
Schedules are applied to control groups and can be set for automatic or manual dispatch. For automatic dispatch, SwitchDin analyzes the VPP's state and applies the necessary adjustments, either increasing or decreasing demand or taking no action. For manual control group schedules, you must specify the demand response type (reduction or increase) and the control, which will be dispatched regardless of the current conditions.
Policies
Policies are a set of rules that define how a particular asset type or individual device is managed and controlled by the VPP. SwitchDin's VPP provides the flexibility to define the parameters for each metric for every device type within the VPP. Currently, SwitchDin offers two types of policies: Duty Cycle and Staging. These policies can be configured through SwitchDin support in accordance with the agreements or contracts active in their portfolios.
Duty Cycle Policy:
The Duty Cycle policy empowers the VPP operator to control the extent to which a unit's DERs are managed. This policy allows the VPP operator to establish minimum and maximum durations for which assets should be switched on or off for each specific control, as well as the total cumulative duration of control within a defined review period. By adjusting this policy, the VPP operator can relinquish some control back to the unit owner, avoiding 100% control over their assets. This policy is typically applied to air conditioners to minimize disruptions to customer comfort.
Staging Policy:
The staging policy enables the controlled activation of devices in preparation for dispatch. When an operational instruction is issued to the VPP, rather than all devices reacting simultaneously, a staging policy can be implemented to spread out or distribute the controls over a defined timeframe. This mechanism ensures that the network is not overwhelmed by a sudden surge or drop in demand caused by multiple devices simultaneously increasing or decreasing their power consumption.
In summary, policies provide a means for the VPP operator to fine-tune the management of individual asset types and devices, ensuring efficient and coordinated operation of the VPP while minimizing disruptions to customer comfort and network stability.
Users
From the users tab, you can view, add, and remove users from the VPP. To invite a new user, select the green Add button from the top right of the page and follow the prompts in the pop-up screen.