In the quest to balance renewable energy integration and carbon emissions, researchers have developed a novel approach that could significantly enhance the economic viability of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. This breakthrough, published in the English-language journal “International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems,” offers a fresh perspective on managing interconnected power systems with multiple regions.
At the heart of this innovation is a distributed real-time low-carbon economic dispatch model, crafted by Junhui Li and colleagues at the Key Laboratory of Modern Power System Simulation Control and New Green Energy Technology of Ministry of Education at Northeast Electric Power University in Jilin, China. The model introduces a cooperative operation framework that integrates CCS with energy storage systems (ESS), addressing a critical challenge in modern power grids.
Traditionally, carbon-capture-power-plants (CCPP) have struggled to maintain carbon capture intensity while providing flexibility to support renewable energy consumption. This often results in a trade-off between economic dispatch and carbon emissions. Li’s research tackles this issue head-on by decoupling the electric carbon in CCPPs, ensuring that the power plant’s net output is no longer directly tied to the energy consumption of the carbon capture device.
“This decoupling allows us to optimize the system more effectively,” Li explains. “By separating the electric carbon, we can make more informed decisions about when and how to use the carbon capture technology, leading to better overall system performance.”
The cooperative operation model for CCS and ESS (CCS-ESS) is designed to respond dynamically to the actual operation of the system. This adaptability is crucial in an interconnected multi-area system, where power flows and demands can vary significantly across different regions. The model’s real-time distributed iterative solution framework ensures that economic dispatch optimization is achieved accurately and efficiently.
The implications for the energy sector are substantial. Case studies conducted by the research team demonstrated that the revenue of CCS under the cooperative mode improved by up to 24.18% compared to the individual mode without ESS, and by 7.49% compared to the individual mode with ESS. This enhanced economic performance could make CCS technologies more attractive to investors and operators, accelerating their deployment in the power sector.
Moreover, the proposed methods have shown robust solution quality and Plug-and-Play (PNP) capabilities, making them suitable for integration into existing power systems. This adaptability is essential for the energy sector, which is increasingly focused on retrofitting and upgrading infrastructure to meet decarbonization goals.
As the energy landscape continues to evolve, with renewable energy sources playing a more significant role, the need for innovative solutions to manage carbon emissions and ensure economic dispatch becomes ever more pressing. Li’s research offers a promising path forward, demonstrating how the integration of CCS and ESS can enhance the flexibility and efficiency of power systems.
The work by Li and his team is a significant step towards a more sustainable and economically viable energy future. As the energy sector continues to grapple with the challenges of decarbonization, such innovations will be crucial in shaping the future of power generation and distribution.