Rethinking the Distribution Power Network Planning and Operation for a Sustainable Smart Grid and Smooth Interaction with Electrified Transportation

This editorial document provides the main motivations and a brief description of each paper published in the “Rethinking the Distribution Power Network Planning and Operation for a Sustainable Smart Grid and Smooth Interaction with Electrified Transportation” Special Issue. This Special Issue aims to present several innovative solutions on planning and operation of distribution power networks under smart grid paradigm where prosumers, electric vehicles, and other typical loads are usually connected. Some of those solutions and computational applications were covered in this Special Issue, namely probabilistic power flow, voltage and power factor control, agent-based simulation, digital twin, resilient energy scheduling, and uncertainty modeling are among the contributions. The published works are very timely and are of great interest, which will certainly drive the impact of future researchers in the near term concerning the field of this Special Issue.

The Impact of the Reform of Factor Market-oriented Allocation on Grid Companies and Related Suggestions

On April 9, 2020, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued “Opinions on Building a More Complete System and Mechanism for Market-oriented Allocation of Factors” (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions), which made an important deployment to promote the five production factors to achieve a higher level of market-oriented allocation. As the key link of power allocation, Grid Companies are directly related to the economic and social development of the whole country. This paper analyzes the main contents of the opinions in detail, studies the impact of the opinions on power network planning and construction, labor employment, capital operation, technological innovation, the development of emerging industries of Grid Companies, and puts forward targeted suggestions to provide theoretical support for the development of Grid Companies.