GAZNAT: Long-term integration of large-scale gas storage in CH

Partners: external pagePSI EEG, ETHZ (FEN), external pageGaznat
Duration: 04/2022 - 04/2023
Funding: Gaznat
Project Leader: PSI EEG
Project Team: Dr. Alexander Fuchs, Dr. Adamantios Marinakis, Dr. Turhan Demiray

external pageDr. Tom Kober and external pageDr. Evangelos Panos at PSI EEG

The scope of work of this project is to analyse how a large-scale gas storage (TWh-scale) can be integrated into the Swiss energy system taking into consideration the Swiss energy strategy and climate goals as well as the security of sypply objectives. Specifically, the study intends to evaluate different usage schemes of large-scale gas storage, including:

Strategic reserve in order to smooth disruptions in supply while considering changes in gas consumption patterns, including conversion to more natural gas applications (from oil),
Providing flexibility to the energy system, including smoothening of peaks in consumption and to the electricity system in combination with gas-based power plants for supply security in winter to complement strategic hydro storage reserve, by accounting for changes in the electricity and gas consumption patterns,
Usage of the storage for arbitrage trade.

The different options will be analysed using a model-based scenario analysis, which ultimately provides indicators for the technical and economic comparison of the different options. While focusing on the Swiss energy system, international developments will be taken into account, as well as the long-term perspective of the transformation of the energy system.

Within the context of SWEET SURE, external pageGaznat (a gas transmission company) wanted to perform a study on the long-term integration of large-scale gas storage in Switzerland. This scenario analysis is related to the ongoing SWEET project “Sustainable and Resilient Energy for Switzerland” (SURE) in which Gaznat is involved as cooperation partner. Specifically, this study is regarded as dedicated case study in the framework of SURE addressing the very relevant aspect of energy security and resilience in Switzerland.

The methodology employed in this project relates to the modelling of the entire Swiss energy system and the gas grid infrastructure (transmission level). In order to quantify long-term developments of the energy systems of Switzerland and the role of gas storages specifically, the well-established Swiss TIMES Energy systems model (external pageSTEM) will be employed and complemented with dedicated modelling of the gas grid performed by FEN of the ETH Zürich.

The gas grid model of ETHZ-FEN consist of a detailed model of the European gas transmission system, including the grid topology, capacity and nominal historical gas supply and demand patterns. The gas grid module is part of the Multi-energy System Dispatch tool FlexECO and uses a transport model for the basic simulation of the gas grid.

The model uses a flexible component model and can be augmented according to the scenario needs, in particular regarding

model aggregation of part of the transmission system, for example using a simplified European model in combination with a detailed Swiss model,
extending the transport model for specific flow scenarios to a pressure/flow model or even transient flow model, for example to verify critical optimization results, and
coupling of the gas grid with a detailed electricity grid model, for example to validate the security of critical joint gas and electricity grid constraints identified in the STEM model.

The model naturally includes the security limits of the gas grid characterized by operational constraints and quantifies the impact of infrastructure changes through (dis)investments. The locational information couples the gas grid model with the electricity grid to quantify multi-sector synergies, for example the usage of gas turbines to relieve electricity grid congestions. Furthermore, while not of primary focus in this project, the gas grid model can also incorporate selected gas distribution systems.