FlexECO

An optimal dispatch tool for large-scale interconnected multi-energy systems

T. Demiray, “FlexEco: An optimal dispatch tool for large-scale interconnected multi-energy systems”, 2018.

  • The tool can simultaneously dispatch three energy carriers: (i) electricity, (ii) methane and (iii) hydrogen
  • Optimization in hourly resolution for 8760 hours
  • The end demand is explicitly represented per demand sector such as electric appliances, space & water heating, process heating, passenger cars, public transportation, light trucks, heavy trucks, freight rail
  • The (share of) technologies which are used to serve the end-demand by utilizing the corresponding energy carrier are explicitly represented, modelled as fixed or time-varying efficiencies. Examples of such technologies are as follows: air/water/ground-sourced heat pumps (each for floor or radiator heating), battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, hydrogen boiler, methane boiler, etc.
  • Generation technologies: nuclear, coal-fired thermal, methane-/hydrogen-based electricity generation, wind, solar, reservoir hydro and run-of-river hydro, electrolyser, methanation plants
  • Storage technologies: pumped-hydro, methane storage, hydrogen storage
  • Nodal representation: Each node can be modeled as a (i) country, (ii) regions within a country, or (iii) multiple countries. 
  • Parameterized sensitivity analysis is performed to identify a Pareto curve.
  • Climate uncertainty, which subsequently influences wind/solar/hydro generation potentials as well as the demand, is addressed through Monte-​Carlo simulations. Since statistical distributions of selected parameters are used as input, the result is the statistical distribution of each indicator of interest.
  • The tool is based on an optimized C++ code. (Example for the performance: 1-​year simulation in hourly resolution may take up to 300 seconds for problems with sizes up to 100 nodes)
  • The input data are provided in Excel

Input data:

  • Annual demand for space, water, and process heating
  • Annual demand for transport (passenger cars, light & heavy trucks, public transport, freight rail)
  • Annual electricity demand
  • Hourly time-series of demand
  • Biomethane production potential
  • Electricity generation installed capacities
  • Hourly timeseries of wind, solar, run-of-river production
  • Reservoir hydro inflows
  • Country pumped-hydro storage capacities
  • Country gas storage capacities
  • Intra-country gas pipeline transfer capacities
  • Model of the European electricity network (in DC)
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