Multi-Agent Control of a Virtual Power Plant in the Context of the Environmental Rating

There is a tendency to expand the list of types of distributed generation sources (DG) and increase their total installed capacity. Much attention is paid to the introduction of renewable energy sources (RES), which are environmentally friendly compared to traditional power plants. Their integration into power systems can be achieved with the help of a virtual power plant (VPP). The object of study is the VPP which connects DG power plants through electrical networks with a voltage of 0.4–10 kV. The VPP uses a multi-agent system (MAS) to control energy exchange. The agents are defined: generation, load and a centralized power system. When developing algorithms for the functioning of the generation and load agents, the rating of generation agents criterion in terms of environmental friendliness is primarily taken into account. This provides the advantage of consuming electricity from the most environmentally friendly power plants. A methodology has been developed for determining the environmental friendliness rating of DG sources, taking into account the life cycle of power plants. The environmental rating is determined by the installed power, the materials used, the fuel used, the service life and the location of the DG sources. Several approaches to the application of the environmental rating in the management of the VPP are considered.