See, Balance, Exchange: Building an Operational Toolkit for Active Distribution Networks under High DER Penetration

The energy transition faces a bottleneck at the distribution level, where the rapid integration of distributed energy resources (DER), such as solar photovoltaics (PV), electric vehicles (EV), and heat pumps (HP), outpaces the capabilities of current distribution networks. Low-voltage (LV) grids, historically designed as passive infrastructure, are now subjected to stress that exceeds their original design. Consequently, distribution system operators (DSO) must evolve into active managers, requiring new tools to operate the network efficiently. This operational shift is also accelerated by rising regulatory pressure requiring coordination between DSO and transmission system operators (TSO) in managing the power systems as whole. This thesis proposes an operational toolkit built on three core capabilities: seeing the network, balancing its existing capacity, and exchanging access to it. This toolkit view is complemented by a multidimensional analysis of the TSO-DSO coordination literature, which examines why methods of this kind rarely progress to commercial deployment. First, network observability (see) is addressed through a topological path identification (TPI) methodology. Using an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation, this approach assigns a physically feasible path to 88% of customers from incomplete, static geographical data without reliance on advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). When validated on a real-world LV network, the algorithm demonstrated robustness, achieving a fault detection rate exceeding 95% under the tested corruption model. Second, a phase reconfiguration (balance) algorithm is developed. By shifting away from non-linear power-flow models to a linear optimization based on long-term load curves, this method balances the network without the need for physical grid reinforcement. When applied to the topology of a real Belgian network under a synthetic high-DER scenario, the approach successfully reduced load unbalance by 36% and 62% across the two test feeders and decreased total line losses by 4.4%. Third, a continuous market mechanism (exchange) for dynamic operating envelopes (DOE) is introduced. This framework allows network participants to trade physical network access while guaranteeing operational security under DC power flow assumptions. Results indicate that this limit-exchange mechanism shows the potential to reduce renewable curtailment, incentivize the use of local flexibility, and extract additional value from existing infrastructure without requiring centralized control. Finally, the thesis evaluates the broader operational landscape through a multidimensional analysis of TSO-DSO coordination. By comparing theoretical literature against real-world pilot projects across five dimensions (modeling, operation, validation, communication, and regulation), this research suggests the gaps blocking commercial deployment are not algorithmic complexity but rather communication infrastructure, validation at scale, and regulatory alignment.