RT Journal Article
T1 A game-theoretic approach to fair and grid-aware load flexibility allocation in residential distribution networks
A1 Gómez Ruiz, Gabriel
A1 Clavijo Camacho, Jesús
A1 Sánchez Herrera, María Reyes
A1 Andújar Márquez, José Manuel
A1 Gómez Ruiz, Gabriel
AB This article evaluates the potential of thermostatically controlled loads (TCL) as flexible resources to improve power quality―particularly phase unbalance―in low-voltage residential distribution networks while ensuring fair consumer participation. To address both grid-level and social objectives, the adaptive fairness and grid-aware allocation (AFGA) algorithm is proposed. This algorithm integrates cooperative game theory and Nash bargaining principles to jointly optimize phase balancing and consumer utility. The proposed approach dynamically allocates residential consumer flexibility by accounting for phase-level constraints, individual flexibility capacity, and historical participation, thereby preventing the persistent overuse of specific consumers and promoting equitable long-term engagement. Simulation results on a representative residential network with 100 households demonstrate that, with only 20% participation, the AFGA algorithm reduces the unbalance load factor (ULF) to below 10%, achieves a highly equitable distribution of benefits (Gini index = 0.065), and effectively enforces adaptive fairness through penalty-feedback mechanisms. Furthermore, the algorithm completes a full-day simulation in 102 s with only 0.24 MB of peak memory usage. These findings position the AFGA algorithm as an effective and scalable solution for integrating fairness-aware residential flexibility into the operation of low-voltage residential distribution networks.
PB Elsevier
SN 0045-7906
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/27721
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/27721
LA eng
NO G. Gómez-Ruiz, J. Clavijo-Camacho, R. Sánchez-Herrera, y J. M. Andújar, «A game-theoretic approach to fair and grid-aware load flexibility allocation in residential distribution networks», Computers and Electrical Engineering, vol. 131, p. 110976, mar. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.compeleceng.2026.110976
NO This article is part of the project “Integral control system to optimize the microgrids energy demand”, grant number PID2020- 117828RB-I00, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. The author Gabriel Gómez-Ruiz is enjoying an FPU grant, number FPU21/00468, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for the training of university teaching staff during his PhD period. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva / CBUA.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 31 may 2026