An Agent-Based Approach for the Planning of Distribution Grids as a Socio-Technical System

Luciano Cavalcante Siebert, Alexandre Rasi Aoki, Germano Lambert-Torres, Nelson Lambert- de-Andrade and Nikolaos G. Paterakis
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Luciano Cavalcante Siebert: Department of Intelligent Systems, Delft University of Technology, 2628 XE Delft, The Netherlands
Alexandre Rasi Aoki: Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 82590-300, Brazil
Germano Lambert-Torres: Gnarus Institute, Itajubá 37500-052, Brazil
Nelson Lambert- de-Andrade: Gnarus Institute, Itajubá 37500-052, Brazil
Nikolaos G. Paterakis: Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-13

Abstract: Recent developments, such as smart metering, distributed energy resources, microgrids, and energy storage, have led to an exponential increase in system complexity and have emphasized the need to include customer behavior and social and cultural backgrounds in planning activities. This paper analyzes how emergent behavior in electricity consumption can affect the planning of distribution grids with a smart grid vision. For this, an agent-based model that uses insights from the field of behavioral economics to differentiate four consumer categories (high income, low income, middle class, and early adopters) was used. The model was coupled with a real distribution feeder and customer load curve data, and the results showed that heterogeneity of customer’s preferences, values, and behavior led to very distinct load growth patterns. The results emphasize the relevance of modeling customer’s behavioral aspects in planning increasingly complex power systems.

Keywords: power distribution; planning; socio-technical systems; agent-based simulation; behavioral economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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