Value of demand response in the smart grid

In this paper, we raise the question: What is the value that demand response management (DRM) can bring to generation companies and consumers in the smart grid? The question is fundamental for understanding the efficiency and impact of DRM on the future power grid. To answer this question, we first establish a Stackelberg game framework that captures the hierarchical communication architecture of the energy system, and the rational behaviors of the consumers and the market operator. We define the value of demand response based on the Stackelberg equilibrium (SE) solution to the hierarchical two-person game problem, and the standard optimal solution to economic dispatch problem. In order to compute the equilibrium solution, we show that a consistency principle can be used to characterize the SE of the game in which the follower responds to the dual variable of the leader's problem. We use logarithmic utility functions to illustrate the solution concept and show that in some cases, DRM provides conflicting values to the gencos and consumers.