2020 PES GM 8/6 Panel Session: Recent Advances in Optimal Power Flow Methods for Realistic Power Distribution Networks

The increasing penetrations distributed energy resources, the proliferation of proactive loads, and growing prospects for retail-level energy markets/demand response is motivating the use of optimization methods to efficiently operate the large-scale power distribution grid. The current fast-paced research in this domain is driven by the challenging mathematical problem of three-phase optimal power flow (OPF) coupled with the practical realities of the distribution grid. This panel will present recent advances in OPF methods for unbalanced power distribution systems with the focus on contributions that have allowed for their implementation for real-world power distribution systems. Specifically, the talks will address the methods that allow for optimization with generation and demand stochasticity, caters to network complexity and heterogeneity with accurate device models, and enables scalability using real-time optimization. The panel will conclude with a discussion on use cases from the real-world deployment of OPF methods, the lessons learned, and directions for future research.