Abstract
The Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and self-consumption frameworks defined in Directive (EU) 2023/2413 and Directive (EU) 2024/1711 are currently being integrated into national regulations across EU member states, adapting legislation to incorporate these new entities. These regulations establish key principles for individual and collective self-consumption, outlining operational rules such as proximity constraints, electricity sharing mechanisms, surplus electricity management, grid tariffs, and various organizational aspects, including asset sizing, licensing, metering, data exchange, and role definitions. This study introduces a model tailored to optimize investment and energy-sharing decisions within RECs, enabling multiple members to invest in solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind generation assets. The model determines the optimal generation capacity each REC member should install for each technology and calculates the energy shared between members in each period, considering site-specific constraints on renewable deployment. A case study with a four-member REC is used to showcase the model’s functionality, with simulation results underscoring the benefits of CSC over ISC. © 2025 by the authors.

Abstract
Deploying renewable energy communities, self-consumption and local energy markets are one of the ways to contribute to the energy system decarbonization by increasing the renewable energy share in the production mix and contributing to a better local balancing. However, how collective self-consumption structures are regulated has a direct impact on the flexibility of the energy sharing mechanisms and business models that can be set up. This paper compares and discusses how the European Union directives on self-consumption have been transposed to the national regulations of Portugal, Spain and France, providing a detailed regulatory discussion on the definition of basic concepts such as individual and collective self-consumption and renewable energy communities, proximity rules among members, energy sharing mechanisms and energy allocation coefficients, how the energy surplus is managed in each case, or how the grid access tariffs are modified to account for the self-consumed energy. The study highlights that dynamic allocation coefficients provide significant advantages for collective self-consumption by improving energy allocation efficiency, enabling advanced business models, and facilitating the integration of local energy markets, as it is the case in Portugal and France, while their absence in Spain limits these opportunities. The work also highlights the trade-off between flexible energy sharing and implementation complexity, and the role of digital tools to operationalize energy communities. Suggestions on potential regulatory improvements for all countries are also proposed. © 2025

Abstract

Abstract
This paper presents a fast and accurate optimization technique for optimal power flow (OPF) that can be conveniently applied to transmission and distribution systems. The method is based on the branch flow and DC optimal power flow (DCOPF) models. As the branch flow model is independent of the bus voltage angle, the model needs further development to enable use in meshed transmission systems. Thus, this paper adds the bus voltage angle constraint as a key constraint to the branch flow model so that the voltage angle can also be used in the power flow model in addition to the voltage magnitude control. The problem is based on second-order programming and modeled as a quadratically-constrained programming (QCP) problem solved using the CPLEX solver in GAMS. The functionality of the proposed model is tested utilizing four standard distribution systems, three transmission systems, a combined transmission-distribution network. The studied distribution systems include the 33-bus, 69-bus, 118-bus distribution (118-D) test systems, and 730-bus distribution system (730-D). Additionally, the studied transmission systems include 9-bus, 30-bus, and 118-bus transmission (118-T) test systems. The combined transmission-distribution system included the 9-bus transmission system with three connected distribution systems. The simulation results obtained from the developed technique are compared to those obtained from a conventional optimal flow model. The power losses and the absolute error of the solution are used as the two metrics to compare the methods' performance for distribution networks. The absolute error of the solution derived from the proposed hybrid OPF compared to MATPOWER for the 33-bus system is 0.00198 %. For the 69-bus system, the error is 0.00044 %. In addition, for the 118-D and 730-D systems, the absolute errors are 0.0026 %, and 0.05 %, respectively. For the transmission network, the operating costs and the solution absolute error are the two metrics used for comparing the proposed hybrid OPF model and MATPOWER. The results indicate the superior performance of the hybrid OPF model to the Newton-Raphson method in MATPOWER in terms of operating cost. In this regard, cost reductions relative to values given by MATPOWER are 0.0005 %, 0.838 %, and 0.015 %, for the 9-bus, 30-bus, and 118-T systems, respectively. The simulation studies demonstrate the performance of the presented branch flow-based model in solving the OPF problem with accurate results.

Abstract
The increasing penetration of electric vehicles will be accompanied for a wide deployment of charging infrastructures. Large charging demand brings formidable challenges to existing power networks, driving them near to their operational limits. In this regard, it becomes pivotal developing novel energy management strategies for active distribution networks that take into account the strategic behaviour of parking lots. This paper focuses on this issue, developing a novel energy management tool for distribution networks encompassing distributed generators and parking lots. The new proposal casts as a tri-level game equilibrium framework where the profit maximization of lots is implicitly considered, thus ensuring that network-level decisions do not detract the profit of parking owners. The original tri-level model is reduced into a tractable single-level mixed-integer-linear programming by combining equivalent primal-dual and first-order optimality conditions of the distribution network and parking operational models. This way, the model can be solved using off-the-shelf solvers, with superiority against other approaches like metaheuristics. The developed model is validated in well-known 33-, and 85-bus radial distribution systems. Results show that, even under unfavourable conditions with limited distributed generation, charging demand is maximized, thus preserving the interests of parking owners. Moreover, the model is further validated through a number of simulations, showing its effectiveness. Finally, it is demonstrated that the developed tool scales well with the size of the system, easing its implementation in real-life applications.

Abstract
The increasing occurrence of extreme weather events has severely compromised the resilience of power distribution systems, resulting in widespread outages and substantial economic losses. This paper proposes a novel solution to enhance the resilience of distribution networks without the need for significant infrastructure upgrades. We introduce a bilevel optimization framework that integrates Demand Response Programs (DRPs) to strategically manage electricity consumption and mitigate the impact of system disruptions. The approach fosters collaboration between Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Demand Response Aggregators (DRAs), optimizing both operational resilience and economic efficiency. To solve the bilevel problem, we employ a Mathematical Program with Equilibrium Constraints (MPEC), transforming the bilevel model into a single- level problem by utilizing the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions. This method is applicable when the lower-level problem is convex with linear constraints. The model also incorporates Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks for wind generation forecasting, enhancing decision-making precision. Furthermore, we conduct multiple case studies under varying severities of incidents to evaluate the method's effectiveness. Simulations performed on the IEEE 33-bus test system using GAMS and Python validate that the proposed method not only improves system resilience but also encourages active consumer participation, making it a robust solution for modern smart grid applications. The simulation results show that by performing DRP to handle the contingencies in a high-impact incident, the resilience of the system can be improved by 5.3%.