Virtual power plant for energy management: Science mapping approach

A bibliometric analysis was conducted to examine the trends and developments in the field of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) from 2000 to June 2022. The selection and identification of data involved a systematic search resulting in 1245 articles for bibliometric analysis after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Strategic diagrams, overlay graphs, and evolution maps were used to analyze the trends and themes in different periods. The analysis reveals the emergence and evolution of various themes and their interconnections. In the early periods, the focus was on energy market issues, distributed generation, and the control of Distributed Energy Resources. Themes such as microgrids, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and economic analysis have gained prominence over time. The present study also identified the introduction of new concepts such as prosumers, collaborative networks, and dynamic power plants in later periods. The performance analysis for the last period (2022) highlighted the centrality and density of themes such as power plants, renewable power plants, battery energy storage systems, and robust optimization. These themes are considered both fundamental and transverse in the research field. This study discusses the importance of VPPs and battery energy storage systems in addressing grid intermittency issues and providing auxiliary market services. The analysis also emphasized the management of the demand side and the integration of electric vehicles and Building Energy Management Systems in VPPs. Therefore, future directions for VPP research include innovative structures and topologies, big-data analysis, and diversified optimization techniques. This study provides insights into the evolution and current state of research in the field of VPPs and identifies areas for further exploration and development.