The penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as photovoltaic (PV) generation and electric vehicles (EVs), in distribution systems has been increasing rapidly. At the same time, load demand is rising due to the proliferation of data centers and the growing use of artificial intelligence. These trends have introduced new operational challenges: reverse power flow from PV generation during the day and low-voltage conditions during periods of peak load or when PV output is unavailable. To address these issues, this paper proposes a two-stage adaptive rolling horizon (ARH)-based model predictive control (MPC) framework for coordinated voltage and power factor (PF) control in distribution systems. The proposed framework, designed from the perspective of a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS), integrates EV charging and discharging scheduling with PV- and EV-connected inverter control. In the first stage, the ARH method optimizes EV charging and discharging schedules to regulate voltage levels. In the second stage, optimal power flow analysis is employed to adjust the voltage of distribution lines and the power factor at the substation through reactive power compensation, using PV- and EV-connected inverters. The proposed algorithm aims to maintain stable operation of the distribution system while minimizing PV curtailment by computing optimal control commands based on predicted PV generation, load forecasts, and EV data provided by vehicle owners. Simulation results on the IEEE 37-bus test feeder demonstrate that, under predicted PV and load profiles, the system voltage can be maintained within the normal range of 0.95–1.05 per unit (p.u.), the power factor is improved, and the state-of-charge (SOC) requirements of EV owners are satisfied. These results confirm that the proposed framework enables stable and cooperative operation of the distribution system without the need for additional infrastructure expansion.
Joo et al. (2025) studied this question.