Look-ahead control approach for thermostatic electric load in distribution system

One of the most important goals of smart grid is sustainability. Load management in coordinated manner may help in saving more energy and hence move towards sustainability. Advanced metering infrastructures (AMI) and bidirectional communication between electricity grid and endusers, novel technologies and designs are required to exploit full potential of smart grid investments. New analysis tools and control strategies are needed for distribution systems to augment these investments. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as thermostatic controllable loads, consume major portion of electric energy. In this work, a detailed load model of thermostatic electric loads is used to develop a novel approach of look-ahead controller over different time frames. Developed controller has been tested for cooling mode operation on a typical summer day and shows satisfactory performance.