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Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network

Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are acknowledged by many researchers as the principal technology required to achieve a high penetration of renewable energy into the electricity network. However, the utilization of a BESS for a single application can lead to under-utilization and may not be ec...

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Main Author: Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
Other Authors: Folly, Komla
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: Department of Electrical Engineering 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
author2 Folly, Komla
author_browse Folly, Komla
Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
author_facet Folly, Komla
Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
author_sort Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
collection Thesis
description Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are acknowledged by many researchers as the principal technology required to achieve a high penetration of renewable energy into the electricity network. However, the utilization of a BESS for a single application can lead to under-utilization and may not be economical. This thesis focuses on the multi-purpose applications of a BESS in an electricity grid. A novel methodology for the optimal sizing of a BESS for the multiple functions of providing support for the frequency nadir (during contingency events), reduction of real power losses, and mitigation of voltage deviations using the deep sleep optimizer (DSO) algorithm was developed. The proposed method establishes a relationship between frequency nadir, voltage variations, power losses, and the BESS multiplier by utilizing regression analysis techniques in multi-objective mathematical formulations. This approach simplifies and enhances the optimization of the multi-objective functions without relying on weighting factors, which are commonly used in many multi-objective optimizations. Additionally, to ensure that BESS capacity meets the acceptable frequency limits during a contingency event in a grid with a high renewable energy penetration, the suggested approach incorporates the rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) for varying degrees of renewable energy penetration. This is extremely important because as the use of renewable energy resources grows, RoCoF values will increase, causing the frequency to fluctuate rapidly during significant grid emergencies. Consequently, in a grid network with a high renewable energy penetration, a suitable RoCoF selection is necessary for sizing the BESS to satisfy the frequency regulation requirements. When comparing the proposed optimal sizing approach with existing methods, the suggested methodology performed better due to its ability to eliminate the weighting factors, thereby ensuring that none of the objective functions dominate the other. This resulted in a fair optimization process with enhanced results. Additionally, by deploying the new metaheuristic algorithm, the DSO, the computational time was reduced compared with other metaheuristic algorithms such as the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). The optimal placement of a BESS in a power grid network was achieved using a novel placement algorithm that leveraged active power injections from mixed sources of power generation during a power system contingency, along with their corresponding inertia contributions. To control a BESS for the desired multiple functions, four sub-units of the control system were designed through the use of suitable controllers. These controllers ensured adequate frequency support during contingency, regulated the charging and discharging actions of the battery, and guaranteed the supply of active and reactive power. Simulation results showed that through the proposed methodologies, the BESS was able to: (a) sustain the frequency nadir within acceptable limits during an outage of the single largest generating unit; (b) reduce real power losses by about 50%; and (c) improve the voltage profile for all buses in an electricity grid network with a high renewable energy penetration.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language English
eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:35:02.528Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Department of Electrical Engineering
publisherStr Department of Electrical Engineering
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42469 Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Folly, Komla Battery energy storage systems BESSs Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are acknowledged by many researchers as the principal technology required to achieve a high penetration of renewable energy into the electricity network. However, the utilization of a BESS for a single application can lead to under-utilization and may not be economical. This thesis focuses on the multi-purpose applications of a BESS in an electricity grid. A novel methodology for the optimal sizing of a BESS for the multiple functions of providing support for the frequency nadir (during contingency events), reduction of real power losses, and mitigation of voltage deviations using the deep sleep optimizer (DSO) algorithm was developed. The proposed method establishes a relationship between frequency nadir, voltage variations, power losses, and the BESS multiplier by utilizing regression analysis techniques in multi-objective mathematical formulations. This approach simplifies and enhances the optimization of the multi-objective functions without relying on weighting factors, which are commonly used in many multi-objective optimizations. Additionally, to ensure that BESS capacity meets the acceptable frequency limits during a contingency event in a grid with a high renewable energy penetration, the suggested approach incorporates the rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) for varying degrees of renewable energy penetration. This is extremely important because as the use of renewable energy resources grows, RoCoF values will increase, causing the frequency to fluctuate rapidly during significant grid emergencies. Consequently, in a grid network with a high renewable energy penetration, a suitable RoCoF selection is necessary for sizing the BESS to satisfy the frequency regulation requirements. When comparing the proposed optimal sizing approach with existing methods, the suggested methodology performed better due to its ability to eliminate the weighting factors, thereby ensuring that none of the objective functions dominate the other. This resulted in a fair optimization process with enhanced results. Additionally, by deploying the new metaheuristic algorithm, the DSO, the computational time was reduced compared with other metaheuristic algorithms such as the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). The optimal placement of a BESS in a power grid network was achieved using a novel placement algorithm that leveraged active power injections from mixed sources of power generation during a power system contingency, along with their corresponding inertia contributions. To control a BESS for the desired multiple functions, four sub-units of the control system were designed through the use of suitable controllers. These controllers ensured adequate frequency support during contingency, regulated the charging and discharging actions of the battery, and guaranteed the supply of active and reactive power. Simulation results showed that through the proposed methodologies, the BESS was able to: (a) sustain the frequency nadir within acceptable limits during an outage of the single largest generating unit; (b) reduce real power losses by about 50%; and (c) improve the voltage profile for all buses in an electricity grid network with a high renewable energy penetration. 2025-12-19T12:29:29Z 2025-12-19T12:29:29Z 2025 2025-12-19T12:26:39Z Thesis / Dissertation Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42469 en eng application/pdf Department of Electrical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Battery energy storage systems
BESSs
Okafor, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel
Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
thesis_degree_str Doctoral
title Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
title_full Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
title_fullStr Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
title_full_unstemmed Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
title_short Multi-purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
title_sort multi purpose applications of energy storage systems in a power system network
topic Battery energy storage systems
BESSs
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42469
work_keys_str_mv AT okaforchukwuemekaemmanuel multipurposeapplicationsofenergystoragesystemsinapowersystemnetwork