Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PLANET (Planning and operational tools for optimising energy flows and synergies between energy networks)
Période du rapport: 2019-05-01 au 2021-01-31
The main scope is the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for policy makers and network operators to improve RES integration through coordination between energy carrier networks by the optimal utilization and placement of conversion/storage technologies for cross-network energy flows.
Problem/issue addressed
RES offer prospects to mitigate GHG emissions and combat climate change, whilst addressing the growing energy demand. In recent years, due to decreasing costs and supportive policies, the integration of RES has expanded significantly. Nevertheless, challenges to its further expansion are raised due to the inherent variability of renewable energy production (‘vRES’) coupled with grid stability considerations, which shall lead to renewable generation curtailment. The latter would cause renewable capacity expansion to decelerate and the capacity factor of generation technologies to reduce with the subsequent economic losses. The project leverages energy conversion and storage technologies, such as P2G, P2H, CHP and Virtual Energy Storage (VES). The coordination of the electricity, heat and gas sectors and the optimal utilization of the network flexibility potential is a vital prerequisite for ensuring security of supply.
PLANET core activity lines include the following pillars:
• Modelling of conversion/storage technologies to enable planning, management and operation tools under real deployment in the field
• Simulation of the integration between electricity, gas and heat network models, with insight on how conversion and storage technologies affect network stability, reliability and responsiveness
• Development of a holistic DSS for multi-grid operational planning and management by considering all interactions between the energy networks
• Policy and market model impact assessment and exploration, which were utilized for providing proposals and recommendations to policy makers and standardization bodies
• Exploration of novel policies and business models that lay the groundwork for unlocking the potential of flexible technologies in the grid.
Overall objectives of the Project
1: Development of a DSS tool for energy exchanges among networks and the optimal design/coordination of technology and policy deployment. Implementation of cost effective and highly efficient human-centric VES using P2H conversion capabilities in the building stock. Development and optimization of the integration of P2G into the energy system for decentralised energy conversion deployment in the distribution grid.
2: To provide policy makers, network managers and operators with the necessary tools for the grid planning, optimization, impact assessment & operational management through enhanced interconnection between diverse energy networks with the deployment of decentralized conversion/ storage solutions.
3: To contribute to the creation of a viable route for the adoption of decentralized storage/conversion solutions in the EU by means of a market-driven policy. The market penetration and operation of the necessary conversion/storage technologies relies on new business models/actors that has to engage in commercially viable practices within a new policy/regulatory landscape.
4: Creation of new regulation recommendations for changing energy environments and policy suggestions to improve market efficiency.
Problem/issue addressed
RES offer prospects to mitigate GHG emissions and combat climate change, whilst addressing the growing energy demand. In recent years, due to decreasing costs and supportive policies, the integration of RES has expanded significantly. Nevertheless, challenges to its further expansion are raised due to the inherent variability of renewable energy production (‘vRES’) coupled with grid stability considerations, which shall lead to renewable generation curtailment. The latter would cause renewable capacity expansion to decelerate and the capacity factor of generation technologies to reduce with the subsequent economic losses. The project leverages energy conversion and storage technologies, such as P2G, P2H, CHP and Virtual Energy Storage (VES). The coordination of the electricity, heat and gas sectors and the optimal utilization of the network flexibility potential is a vital prerequisite for ensuring security of supply.
PLANET core activity lines include the following pillars:
• Modelling of conversion/storage technologies to enable planning, management and operation tools under real deployment in the field
• Simulation of the integration between electricity, gas and heat network models, with insight on how conversion and storage technologies affect network stability, reliability and responsiveness
• Development of a holistic DSS for multi-grid operational planning and management by considering all interactions between the energy networks
• Policy and market model impact assessment and exploration, which were utilized for providing proposals and recommendations to policy makers and standardization bodies
• Exploration of novel policies and business models that lay the groundwork for unlocking the potential of flexible technologies in the grid.
Overall objectives of the Project
1: Development of a DSS tool for energy exchanges among networks and the optimal design/coordination of technology and policy deployment. Implementation of cost effective and highly efficient human-centric VES using P2H conversion capabilities in the building stock. Development and optimization of the integration of P2G into the energy system for decentralised energy conversion deployment in the distribution grid.
2: To provide policy makers, network managers and operators with the necessary tools for the grid planning, optimization, impact assessment & operational management through enhanced interconnection between diverse energy networks with the deployment of decentralized conversion/ storage solutions.
3: To contribute to the creation of a viable route for the adoption of decentralized storage/conversion solutions in the EU by means of a market-driven policy. The market penetration and operation of the necessary conversion/storage technologies relies on new business models/actors that has to engage in commercially viable practices within a new policy/regulatory landscape.
4: Creation of new regulation recommendations for changing energy environments and policy suggestions to improve market efficiency.
PLANET framework has been developed upon the energy system integration and the distribution network active management. It focused on network coupling at the level of distribution among electricity, heat and gas sectors for identifying value chains in the cross-section of these three domains. PLANET is a holistic optimization framework based on an integrated approach for short and mid-term energy grid planning. It facilitates the bridging of the three energy carriers, namely electricity, natural gas, and district heating, a broad portfolio of decentralized storage/conversion solutions capable of providing different grid services.
The PLANET solution followed three core activity lines:
i. The modelling and simulation of all three distribution grids (EL, DH, NG) and interconnected resources including energy generation, demand, storage and conversion.
ii. The development of a Decision Support System (DSS) that enables multi-grid operational planning and synergies management taking into account energy flows and network boundary conditions.
iii. Policy and market model impact assessment and exploration through a validation framework that started from use case definition, extraction of simulation scenarios, validation through PLANET DSS for proposing new policies and ad-hoc standardization applications.
Results achieved
Some of the important results regarding the flexibility potential used for reducing reverse power flows (RPF) of P2H, P2G and VES are summarised:
1. P2H connected to the DH is an effective solution to offer services to the electricity grid: the overproduction of RES can be absorbed and converted to heat. The higher the heat demand is, the higher the flexibility that is utilised from this asset.
2. P2G units have a potential to significantly reduce RFP around the year. In the analysed case studies, the RPF is reduced by 95% in winter, by 86% in summer, and by 78% during the rest of the year.
3. When there is no intervention of DH and constraints due to GN, the P2H and P2G operation are similar. However, considering the respective network constraints, the P2G facilities can work longer hours than the P2H assets because the GN can store more RES surplus than DH, especially in summer.
4. The asset efficiency plays an important role for multi-vector energy system operations. Since the efficiency of P2H is higher than the efficiency of P2G, the use of P2H facilities produces greater contributions to economic and environmental goals even if are more intermittent than the use of the P2G facilities.
5. The VES in buildings provides a comparable flexibility level to the system as the other examined technologies at significantly lower investment costs.
The PLANET solution followed three core activity lines:
i. The modelling and simulation of all three distribution grids (EL, DH, NG) and interconnected resources including energy generation, demand, storage and conversion.
ii. The development of a Decision Support System (DSS) that enables multi-grid operational planning and synergies management taking into account energy flows and network boundary conditions.
iii. Policy and market model impact assessment and exploration through a validation framework that started from use case definition, extraction of simulation scenarios, validation through PLANET DSS for proposing new policies and ad-hoc standardization applications.
Results achieved
Some of the important results regarding the flexibility potential used for reducing reverse power flows (RPF) of P2H, P2G and VES are summarised:
1. P2H connected to the DH is an effective solution to offer services to the electricity grid: the overproduction of RES can be absorbed and converted to heat. The higher the heat demand is, the higher the flexibility that is utilised from this asset.
2. P2G units have a potential to significantly reduce RFP around the year. In the analysed case studies, the RPF is reduced by 95% in winter, by 86% in summer, and by 78% during the rest of the year.
3. When there is no intervention of DH and constraints due to GN, the P2H and P2G operation are similar. However, considering the respective network constraints, the P2G facilities can work longer hours than the P2H assets because the GN can store more RES surplus than DH, especially in summer.
4. The asset efficiency plays an important role for multi-vector energy system operations. Since the efficiency of P2H is higher than the efficiency of P2G, the use of P2H facilities produces greater contributions to economic and environmental goals even if are more intermittent than the use of the P2G facilities.
5. The VES in buildings provides a comparable flexibility level to the system as the other examined technologies at significantly lower investment costs.
PLANET aimed to deliver a holistic ICT framework for incorporating the electricity, gas and heat networks in a joint exploration framework in order to properly account for all interconnection aspects and specificities, providing useful feedback to policy makers, regulators and system operators in order to achieve the desired EU energy transition.
In terms of socio-economics, the aim of the DSS in real-life scenarios brings opportunities for the integration of RES-e generation on the electricity grid as well as feeding the gas and heat networks from their oversupply. Long-term side effects include the cost reduction of energy, increase of security of supply and grid stability, since all generation are local and flexibility sources contribute in the demand and supply balancing, and significant improvement of social welfare as a direct consequence of these.
Another social aspect is related to the environment. RES hold the promise to decarbonize the entire system, including electricity, heating, gas and transport systems with the use of appropriate conversion and storage technologies.
Impact of outcomes of market transformation are multi-fold. Deployment of conversion/storage solutions can reduce the impact of RES generation unpredictability of existing wholesale markets and relax the needs for real-time markets giving time to policy makers and the energy system to respond to new grid challenges.
In terms of socio-economics, the aim of the DSS in real-life scenarios brings opportunities for the integration of RES-e generation on the electricity grid as well as feeding the gas and heat networks from their oversupply. Long-term side effects include the cost reduction of energy, increase of security of supply and grid stability, since all generation are local and flexibility sources contribute in the demand and supply balancing, and significant improvement of social welfare as a direct consequence of these.
Another social aspect is related to the environment. RES hold the promise to decarbonize the entire system, including electricity, heating, gas and transport systems with the use of appropriate conversion and storage technologies.
Impact of outcomes of market transformation are multi-fold. Deployment of conversion/storage solutions can reduce the impact of RES generation unpredictability of existing wholesale markets and relax the needs for real-time markets giving time to policy makers and the energy system to respond to new grid challenges.