Project description
The right energy mix to reduce carbon
The COP21 goals require a stepwise reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by cheaply decarbonising the energy generation sector. This means that Europe has to plan on making better, integrated energy generation and storage systems as well as transmission and distribution grids. The EU-funded PlaMES project aims to develop an integrated planning tool for multi-energy systems on a European scale. The project will consider different energy systems such as electricity, heat, mobility and gas, and calculate a cost-optimal energy mix for the future European energy system. PlaMES will use two case studies to test how adequate and relevant the model is.
Objective
The general objective of the project is the development of an integrated planning tool for multi-energy systems on a European scale. To reach the COP21 goals concerning a stepwise reduction of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a cost effective way, the decarbonisation of multiple energy sectors is necessary. Therefore, the model considers the coupling of different energy sectors (electricity, heat, mobility and gas) and calculates the cost-optimal energy mix for the future European energy system (e. g. up to 2050) that is compliant with the climate goals. Besides generation and storage systems, also transmission and distribution grids are considered in the planning and operation stage in an integrated way.
These modeling requirements lead to both a large mixed-integer (non-linear) optimization problem and new solution methods that will be developed within the course of the project. This will be achieved by solving both mathematical and computational challenges in the field of energy system modeling. Thereby, novel mathematical formulations of energy system modeling problems will be proposed, e. g. by combining diverse mathematical decomposition methods. The goal is to strive towards a system, where a multiplicity of models for single energy system aspects all synergistically contribute to the optimal planning of such a complex system.
The project will provide a new energy system planning tool for different stakeholders of the energy system, which promotes optimal development and operation of the system. This includes European system planners, regulators and national authorities as well as technology companies, grid operators and utilities. To ensure the applicability of the developed tools, an advisory board will review the intermediate and final results of the project.
Finally, two case studies with European scope will be performed to show the adequacy and relevance of the developed modelling framework.
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Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
52062 Aachen
Germany