Energy communities have been designed to empower consumers while maximizing the self-consumption of local renewable energy sources (RESs). Their presence in distribution systems can result in strong modifications in the operation and management of such systems, moving from a centralized operation to a distributed one. In this scope, this work proposes a distributed community-based local energy market that aims at minimizing the costs of each community member, accounting for the technical network constraints. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is adopted to distribute the market, and preserve, as much as possible, the privacy of the prosumers’ assets, production, and demand. The proposed method is tested on a 10-bus medium voltage radial distribution network, in which each node contains a large prosumer, and the relaxed branch flow model is adopted to model the optimization problem. The market framework is proposed and modeled in a centralized and distributed fashion. Market clearing on a day-ahead basis is carried out taking into account actual energy exchanges, as generation from renewable sources is uncertain. The comparison between the centralized and distributed ADMM approach shows an 0.098% error for the nodes’ voltages. The integrated OPF in the community-based market is a computational burden that increases the resolution of the market dispatch problem by about eight times the computation time, from 200.7 s (without OPF) to 1670.2 s. An important conclusion is that the proposed market structure guarantees that P2P exchanges avoid the violation of the network constraints, and ensures that community agents’ can still benefit from the community-based architecture advantages.

The evolution of the electrical power sector due to the advances in digitalization, decarbonization and decentralization has led to the increase in challenges within the current distribution network. Therefore, there is an increased need to analyze the impact of the smart grid and its implemented solutions in order to address these challenges at the earliest stage, i.e., during the pilot phase and before large-scale deployment and mass adoption. Therefore, this paper presents the scalability and replicability analysis conducted within the European project InteGrid. Within the project, innovative solutions are proposed and tested in real demonstration sites (Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden) to enable the DSO as a market facilitator and to assess the impact of the scalability and replicability of these solutions when integrated into the network. The analysis presents a total of three clusters where the impact of several integrated smart tools is analyzed alongside future large scale scenarios. These large scale scenarios envision significant penetration of distributed energy resources, increased network dimensions, large pools of flexibility, and prosumers. The replicability is analyzed through different types of networks, locations (country-wise), or time (daily). In addition, a simple replication path based on a step by step approach is proposed as a guideline to replicate the smart functions associated with each of the clusters.

In order to avoid voltage problems derived from the connection of large amounts of renewable-based generation to the electrical distribution system, new advanced tools need to be developed that are able to exploit the presence of Distributed Energy Resources (DER). This paper describes the approach proposed for a predictive voltage control algorithm to be used in Low Voltage (LV) distribution networks in order to make use of available flexibilities from domestic consumers via their Home Energy Management System (HEMS) and more traditional resources from the Distribution System Operator (DSO), such as transformers with On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC) and storage devices. The proposed algorithm—the Low Voltage Control (LVC)—is detailed in this paper. The algorithm was tested through simulation using a real Portuguese LV network and real consumption and generation data, in order to evaluate its performance in preparation for a field-trial validation in a Portuguese smart grids pilot.

In order to avoid voltage problems derived from the connection of large amounts of renewable-based energy generation to distribution networks, new advanced tools need to be developed that are able to exploit the presence of Distributed Energy Resources (DER). This paper describes the approach proposed for a predictive voltage control algorithm to be used in LV distribution networks in order to make use of available flexibilities from domestic consumers via their Home Energy Management System (HEMS) and more traditional Distribution System Operator's (DSO's) resources, such as transformers with On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC) and storage devices. The proposed algorithm for the Low Voltage Control (LVC) is detailed in this paper. The algorithm was then tested through simulation using a representative Portuguese Low Voltage (LV) network in order to assess its performance in several future scenarios with different operating conditions. The future prospects for field-trial validation in a Portuguese smart grids pilot are also discussed.

Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) are an important source of flexibility in power systems with high penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). When installed at transmission-distribution interface nodes, shared ESSs can support both Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs), but their long-term planning remains challenging because investment decisions depend on coordinated operation under uncertainty and battery degradation over time. This paper proposes a degradation-aware planning framework for shared battery ESSs in coordinated TSO-DSO operation. The problem is formulated as a bi-level stochastic optimization model in which the upper level determines siting, sizing, and staged investment decisions under investment-cost uncertainty, while the lower level evaluates these decisions through coordinated system operation. To preserve tractability, the framework combines Benders' decomposition for long-term planning with an Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM)-based decentralized coordination mechanism for short-term operation. The framework is evaluated on integrated IEEE transmission-distribution test systems over a 15-year planning horizon. Relative to uncoordinated operation, coordinated operation with shared ESSs reduces operating costs by up to 18.25% and RES curtailment by up to 92.16% in the later years of the planning horizon, while eliminating voltage violations. The results also show that degradation materially affects ESS valuation and that temporal discretization can influence siting and sizing decisions.