This report documents the main results of the 2021 activity, which consist of a model for managing multi-energy systems that can define multiple ancillary service provisions (even more than one for the same instant), and a planning tool specifically for the case of sizing thermal storage systems. In addition, the results for three simulators are reported: the first concerns a portion of the gas distribution network, whereas the second and third concern 3rd generation district heating and 5th generation district heating and cooling systems, respectively.
The model for defining the provision of ancillary services consists of two algorithms. The first one is in charge of defining the provision of ancillary services in the operational planning phase with hourly/quarter-hourly resolution, whereas the second one handles the near real-time activation phase of the multi-energy system with seconds resolution. This algorithm defines the multi-day operational schedule of a multi-energy system to feed demand by exploiting mixed integer linear programing. The program solves unit commitment and economic dispatch problems by optimizing participation in the day-ahead (DA) and intra-day (ID) energy markets for both electricity and gas. It also works out bids for the ancillary services (AS) market based on the flexibility found.
The second algorithm aims to manage the activation phase of accepted bids during the near-real-time exercise. The multi-day operational plan with hourly resolution is expressed in seconds to develop the near-real-time exercise phase, where service activation management takes place. The near-real-time operation algorithm adopts linear programing to select the cheapest devices to be entrusted with the delivery of the activated service. Both algorithms were applied to a 3rd generation district heating system and an innovative 5th generation district heating system; for the latter case, details of the developed dynamic system simulator are also described.
The developed simulators support dynamic analyses for gas networks and district heating networks. The gas network simulator was applied to a portion of an Italian distribution network. The second simulation algorithm was developed at Politecnico di Torino as part of an ongoing Ph.D thesis.
The 2021 activity completes the 2019-2021 program to develop the energy management model for multi-carrier systems with exploitation of flexibility for the provision of ancillary services to the power grid according to the three-year activity program.