Leveraging Ancillary Services from Building Thermostatic Loads in Power Grids

The integration of large-scale renewable energy sources and the incorporation of state-of-the-art technologies in contemporary power systems require advanced control techniques to maintain the stability of the power grids. One solution could be building thermostatic loads to provide ancillary services like operating reserves. The possibility of using buildings' thermostatic loads to contribute to grid services is facilitated by automatic generation control (AGC), which is thoroughly discussed in this paper. The building thermostatic load (BTL) can be flexibly controlled to provide the grid signal with an automatic short-term reserve capacity. To utilize the reserve provisioning capability of BTLs, a comprehensive power grid model with an AGC system is developed using the DIgSilent power factory software. The model integrates different power plants, including wind energy generation stations, thermal power stations, gas-fired power stations, and BTLs. A dynamic power allocation strategy is developed for the proposed power model and implemented using 12-hour simulations. The analysis results revealed that integration of BTLs into the power grid assists in balanced demand and supply of power systems and also enhances the efficiencies and reliability of the power system network.