Evaluation of economic-load dispatching control based on forecasted photovoltaic power output

In Japan, the issues of whether to phase out nuclear power plants and install generation from renewable energy sources on a large scale is being debated owing to the nuclear accident caused by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Attention is particularly focused on photovoltaic (PV) generation-a technology for which Japan is renowned. However, large-scale integration of PV generation may cause an imbalance between the supply and demand of electricity in power systems. Using the forecasted PV power output in economic-load dispatching control (EDC) is essential to maintain the economy and reliability of power system operation. The focus of this paper is placed on an EDC that determines the unit commitment (UC) on the basis of the day-ahead PV generation forecast by numerical simulations. Suppression of the PV power output and installation of a battery energy storage system (BESS) are also considered.