Simulating demand response and energy storage in energy distribution systems

This paper shows how demand response schemes and energy storage can be incorporated into an existing modeling approach to multi-energy network analysis. The mentioned approach, called the energy hub, developed at the ETH Zurich, is used to simulate energy generation and storage units of an energy system and is particularly suitable for hourly or quarter-hourly unit dispatch cost optimization. The paper's first contribution is to show how the model of the generation and storage units of a system can be extended through demand response, to include the energy consumption side as an active participant in the system. The demand response schemes have a similar effect as energy storage and are defined as an analogue to energy storage units. The modeling approach and its utility are demonstrated through examples based on a city quarter of around 1.000 households in which buildings are currently heated with gas and oil boilers. The examples show how heat load management in combination with heat pumps and different cogeneration systems can influence load behaviour and total energy costs. For each system setting, energy inputs into the system are optimized for each hour of the chosen day. Fuel costs are naturally constant through the day and the whole dynamics of the system is determined by the changes in the electricity spot market price. In the end a comparison is given, of the original system of only gas and oil boilers with possible alternative heating systems including heat pumps, micro gasification CHP units and two different district heating systems. These systems are compared with one another with and without the use of heat load management according to their fuel and electricity costs as well as the ensuing greenhouse gas emissions.