Evaluation of the Economic Contributions for Flexible Resources to Mitigate Distribution Network Constraints

As load growth and renewable energy integration continue to expand in distribution network, utilities face increasing challenges in reinforcing network infrastructure. Consequently, flexible resources such as ESS and DR have been introduced as NWAs. However, the economic contributions of these diverse resource configurations and their operational strategies have not been systematically evaluated for distribution network planning. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework for evaluating the economic feasibility between utilizing flexible resources such as ESS or DR and investing in distribution facilities, aiming to mitigate distribution network constraints. In particular, it is analyzed short-term and long-term operational strategies based on ESS, DR, and mixed DR/ESS configurations. This economic analysis framework can be used to support flexible resource allocation strategies and distribution facility investment plans in distribution network planning.