Recursive Predictive Optimal Dispatch for the Reduction of Fuel Dependence in a Multi-Village Power System

The electrification process in some regions of developing countries, nowadays, is still far from near-universal coverage. For example, ensuring access to electricity in remote areas of Africa, which are mainly powered by diesel generators, is quite challenging and dangerous. At this regard, this paper proposes a cost-effective solution to ensure a reliable and sustainable electricity supply in rural villages in Sub-Saharan Africa, while reducing their fuel dependence. By interconnecting the electrical distribution networks of five villages and integrating flexibility resources, the proposed solution involves the implementation of a hybrid AC/DC multi-village microgrid, managed through a recursive predictive optimal dispatch algorithm. The designed control scheme is based on the solution of a mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP) problem over a moving fixed-size time-window. The MIQP problem is formulated to establish the optimal set-points for fuel-based generators and determine the most convenient way to operate water purification plants integrated as controllable loads for the provision of sufficient drinking water to the local population. Moreover, the problem aims to ensure an adequate amount of operating reserve to avoid emergency actions like load shedding and renewable generation curtailment. The effectiveness of the proposed solution in maximizing fuel savings ensuring reliable power supply and enough purified water has been demonstrated through the comparison of test results obtained simulating one year of operation with other operating scenarios.