Mohammad Javadi

Abstract
The use of data from residential smart maters can help in the management and control of distribution grids. This provides significant benefits to electricity retailers as well as distribution system operators, but raises important questions related to the privacy of consumers information. In this study, an innovative Differential Privacy (DP) compliant algorithm is developed to ensure that the data from consumers smart meters is protected. In addition, several cost allocation mechanisms based on cooperative game theory are used to ensure that the extra costs are divided among the participants in a fair, efficient and equitable manner. Comprehensive results show that the approach provides privacy preservation in line with the consumers preferences and does not lead to significant cost or loss increases for the energy retailer. In addition, the novel algorithm is computationally efficient and performs very well with a large number of consumers, thus demonstrating its scalability. IEEE

Abstract
This paper investigates a fully decentralized model for electricity trading within a transactive energy market. The proposed model presents a peer-to-peer (P2P) trading framework between the clients. The model is incorporated for industrial, commercial, and residential energy hubs to serve their associated demands in a least-cost paradigm. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is implemented to address the decentralized power flow in this study. The optimal operation of the energy hubs is modeled as a standard mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization problem. The corresponding decision variables of the energy hubs operation are transferred to the peer-to-peer (P2P) market, and ADMM is applied to ensure the minimum data exchange and address the data privacy issue. Two different scenarios have been studied in this paper to show the effectiveness of the electricity trading model between peers, called integrated and coordinated operation modes. In the integration mode, there is no P2P energy trading while in the coordinated framework, the P2P transactive energy market is taken into account. The proposed model is simulated on the modified IEEE 33-bus distribution network. The obtained results confirm that the coordinated model can efficiently handle the P2P transactive energy trading for different energy hubs, addressing the minimum data exchange issue, and achieving the least-cost operation of the energy hubs in the system. The obtained results show that the total operating cost of the hubs in the coordinated model is lower than that of the integrated model by $590.319, i.e. 11.75 % saving in the costs. In this regard, the contributions of the industrial, commercial, and residential hubs in the total cost using the integrated model are $3441.895, $596.600, and $988.789, respectively. On the other hand, these energy hubs contribute to the total operating cost in the coordinated model by $2932.645, $590.155, and $914.165 respectively. The highest decrease relates to the industrial hub by 14.8 % while the smallest decrease relates to the residential hub by 1 %. Furthermore, the load demand in the integrated and coordinated models is mitigated by 13 % and 17 %, respectively. These results indicate that the presented framework could effectively and significantly reduce the total load demand which in turn leads to reducing the total cost and power losses. © 2021 The Authors

Abstract
Emerging technologies are helping to accelerate the ongoing energy transition. At the forefront of these new technologies is blockchain, which has the potential to disrupt energy trading markets. This article explores this potential by presenting an innovative multilevel transactive energy (TE) optimization model for the scheduling of distributed energy resources (DERs) within connected virtual power plants (VPPs). The model allows for energy transactions within a given VPP as well as between connected VPPs. A blockchain-based smart contract layer is applied on top of the TE optimization model to automate and record energy transactions. The model is formulated to adhere to the new regulations for the self-generation and self-consumption of energy in Portugal. This new set of regulations can ease barriers to entry for consumers and increase their active participation in energy markets. Results show a decrease in energy costs for consumers and increased generation of locally produced electricity. This model shows that blockchain-based smart contracts can be successfully integrated into a hierarchical energy trading model, which respects the novel energy regulation. This combination of technologies can be used to increase consumer participation, lower energy bills, and increase the penetration of locally generated electricity from renewable energy sources.

Abstract
Traditional power grids, being highly centralized in terms of generation, economy, and operation, continually employed probabilistic methods to account for load uncertainties. In modern smart grids (SG), rapid proliferation of non-dispatchable generation (physical decentralization) and liberal markets (market decentralization) leads to dismantling of the centralized paradigm, with operation being performed by several decentralized agents. Handling uncertainty in this new paradigm is aggravated due to 1) a vastly increased number of uncertainty sources, and 2) decentralized agents only having access to local data and limited information on other parts of the grid. A major problem identified in modern and future SGs is the need for fully decentralized optimal operation techniques that are computationally efficient, highly accurate, and do not jeopardize data privacy and security of individual agents. Machine learning (ML) techniques, being successors to traditional probabilistic methods are identified as a solution to this problem. In this paper, a conceptual model is constructed for the transition from a fully centralized operation of a SG to a decentralized one, proposing the transition scheme between the two paradigms. A novel ML algorithm for fully decentralized operation is proposed, formulated, implemented, and tested. The proposed algorithm relies solely on local historical data for local agents to accurately predict their optimal control actions without knowledge of the physical system model or access to historical data of other agents. The capability of cloud-based cooperative information exchange was augmented through a new concept of s-index activation codes, being encoded vectors shared between agents to improve their operation without sharing raw information. The algorithm is tested on a modified IEEE 24-bus test system and synthetically generating historical data based on typical load profiles. A week-ahead high-resolution (15-minute) fully decentralized operation case is tested. The algorithm is shown to guarantee less than 0.1% error compared to a centralized solution and to outperform a neural network (NN). The algorithm is exceptionally accurate while being highly computationally efficient and has great potential as a versatile model for fully decentralized operation of SGs.

Abstract
Virtual power plants (VPPs) have emerged as a way to coordinate and control the growing number of distributed energy resources (DERs) within power systems. Typically, VPP models have focused on financial or commercial outcomes and have not considered the technical constraints of the distribution system. The objective of this article is the development of a technical VPP (TVPP) operational model to optimize the scheduling of a diverse set of DERs operating in a day-ahead energy market, considering grid management constraints. The effects on network congestion, voltage profiles, and power losses are presented and analyzed. In addition, the thermal comfort of the consumers is considered and the tradeoffs between comfort, cost, and technical constraints are presented. The model quantifies and allocates the benefits of the DER operation to the owners in a fair and efficient manner using the Vickrey-Clarke-Grove mechanism. This article develops a stochastic mixed-integer linear programming model and various case studies are thoroughly examined on the IEEE 119 bus test system. Results indicate that electric vehicles provide the largest marginal contribution to the TVPP, closely followed by solar photovoltaic (PV) units. Also, the results show that the operations of the TVPP improve financial metrics and increase consumer engagement while improving numerous technical operational metrics. The proposed TVPP model is shown to improve the ability of the system to incorporate DERs, including those from commercial buildings.