Distributed Consensus Based Supply–Demand Balance Algorithm for Economic Dispatch Problem in a Smart Grid With Switching Graph

This paper studies a distributed consensus algorithm for economic dispatch in a smart grid, which aims at minimizing the total generation cost. The proposed algorithm only needs each generator in the network be aware of its local cost parameters and its neighbors' virtual incremental cost variables. The proposed algorithm is “anytime.” It does not break the supply-demand balance even in the transient process. It overcomes the defect that the trajectories of traditional consensus based algorithms are not feasible solutions before convergence. The proposed algorithm is also “anywhere.” It is applicable for the jointly connected switching undirected topology. It can gradually drive any connected region of a power system to approach its own optimal state. Simulation studies on several cases demonstrate its effectiveness.