This report provides a detailed description of the functionalities and modeling aspects of the medium-term integrated simulator of electricity and gas systems. This tool is the result of the collaboration between RSE and Università degli Studi di Bergamo, aimed at creating mathematical models and solution algorithms for simulating the interaction between electricity and gas systems.

In particular, the diffusion of thermoelectric power plants powered by natural gas and the expected increase in Power-to-Gas plants foster a greater interaction between the electrical system and the gas system, requiring the development of integrated simulation models that are able to consider these interdependencies carefully

The simulator presented here determines the optimal plan for coordinated use of the resources of an integrated system in order to ensure the satisfaction of electricity and gas demands with the minimum overall cost, in compliance with multiple operational constraints. The simulator offers integrated modeling based on the bidirectional conversion between electricity and gas. Notably, while the conversion of gas into electricity is modeled using gas-powered thermal generators, the opposite conversion, i.e. electricity into gas, is also included in the analysis via modeling of Power-to-Gas plants.

The simulator also provides a detailed representation of the additional components of the electrical system, such as non-gas-powered thermal generators, transmission lines, hydroelectric reservoirs and batteries, and of the gas system, including pipelines, gas storages and compressors.