Virtual power plants: an in-depth analysis of their advancements and importance as crucial players in modern power systems

• Published in: Energy, sustainability and society Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 52 - 21
• Main Authors: Abdelkader, Sobhy, Amissah, Jeremiah, Abdel-Rahim, Omar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-12-2024; Springer Nature B.V; BMC
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Barriers; Contemporary power systems; Distributed energy resources; Distributed generation; Economics and Management; Electric power demand; Energy; Energy management; Energy Policy; Energy resources; Evolution; Information management; Power plants; R&D; Renewable and Green Energy; Renewable energy sources; Renewable resources; Research & development; Review; Reviews; Solar energy; Solar panels; Storage systems; Sustainable Development; Systems analysis; Turbines; Virtual power plants; Wind power; Wind turbines; Virtual power plants; Renewable energy sources; Contemporary power systems; Distributed energy resources
• ISSN: 2192-0567
• DOI: 10.1186/s13705-024-00483-y

Background
Virtual power plants (VPPs) represent a pivotal evolution in power system management, offering dynamic solutions to the challenges of renewable energy integration, grid stability, and demand-side management. Originally conceived as a concept to aggregate small-scale distributed energy resources, VPPs have evolved into sophisticated enablers of diverse energy assets, including solar panels, wind turbines, battery storage systems, and demand response units. This review article explores the evolution of VPPs and their pivotal roles as major stakeholders within contemporary power systems. The review opens with a definition of VPPs that clarifies both their fundamental traits and technological foundations. A historical examination of their development highlights major turning points and milestones that illustrate their transforming journey.
Main text
The methodology used for this article entailed a thorough examination to identify relevant studies, articles, and scholarly works related to virtual power plants. Academic databases were used to gather relevant literature. The literature was organized into categories helping to structure and present information in a logical flow based on the outline created for the review article
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The discussions in the article show that the various functions that VPPs perform in power systems are of major interest. VPPs promote the seamless integration of renewable energy sources and provide optimum grid management by aggregating distributed energy resources, which improves sustainability. One of the important components of this evaluation involves taking market and policy considerations. Examining worldwide market patterns and forecasts reveals that VPP usage is rising, and that regulatory frameworks and incentives have a bigger impact on how well they integrate.
Conclusion
Overcoming obstacles is a necessary step towards realizing full VPP potential. For VPPs to be widely adopted, it is still essential to address technological and operational challenges as they arise. Diverse stakeholders must work together to overcome market obstacles and promote the expansion of the VPP market. This analysis highlights the potential for VPPs to propel the evolution of contemporary power systems toward a more sustainable and effective future by highlighting areas for future research and development.