Optimal storage dispatch in a consumer setting with local generation resources

While in the past the installation of distributed generation systems was oftentimes motivated by attractive feed-in tariffs, many consumers now install such systems to increase their self-sufficiency in order to avoid rising electricity cost. However, due to the intermittency of photovoltaic systems and the dependency of cogeneration units on the thermal demand, there remains a significant mismatch between local generation and demand. Electrical storage devices can align generation and demand, minimizing the mentioned gap and hence the amount of energy that needs to be taken from the grid. This paper describes a model to determine the optimal dispatch of such a system, taking the thermal system into account in order to account for the dependency of cogeneration units. A mixed integer program is presented, which identifies the cost minimizing operation schedule. This model is tested using a case study considering realistic values taken from the German case.