In the quest to balance the scales of energy efficiency, cost, and environmental sustainability, a team of researchers from the School of Electrical Engineering at Southwest Jiaotong University has made a significant stride. Led by DENG Qianwen, the team has proposed an innovative method for optimizing the allocation of integrated energy systems (IES), taking into account the joint operation of multiple flexible resources. Their work, published in the journal *Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Science)*, offers a promising approach to enhance the economic viability and environmental performance of energy systems, particularly in the context of increasing renewable energy penetration.
The researchers’ method focuses on refining the modeling of power-to-gas equipment and introducing a coordinated operation framework that leverages hydrogen energy as a core flexible resource. “By integrating hydrogen-doped gas turbines and power-to-gas equipment, we can make full use of the low-carbon characteristics of hydrogen,” explains DENG Qianwen. This approach not only optimizes the use of renewable energy but also facilitates the recycling of CO2 through carbon capture equipment, providing carbon raw materials for power-to-gas facilities.
One of the key challenges addressed in this research is the uncertainty of renewable energy output. To tackle this, the team employed the Elbow method to determine the optimal clustering number and used the K-means clustering algorithm to obtain typical wind speed scenarios. Based on this, they established an optimal allocation model aimed at minimizing the sum of investment cost, operation and maintenance cost, replacement cost, environmental penalty, and wind abandonment penalty cost. The model considers various constraints, including equipment constraints, energy balance constraints, and flexibility constraints.
To solve the nonlinearity of the model, the researchers adopted the large M method to linearize the model and complete the solution. The effectiveness of their proposed method was validated through an example based on measured data from a region in southwest China. The results were impressive: the total cost of the IES was reduced by 10.22%, the penetration rate of new energy was increased by 6.01%, and the cost of environmental penalties was reduced by 2.65%.
The implications of this research for the energy sector are substantial. As LI Qi, one of the co-authors, points out, “Our method effectively improves the economy of the system and the consumption of new energy, significantly reducing system carbon emissions.” This could pave the way for more efficient and sustainable energy systems, particularly in regions with high renewable energy potential.
The research also highlights the importance of flexibility resources in integrated energy systems. By optimizing the allocation of these resources, energy providers can enhance the reliability and resilience of their systems, ultimately benefiting consumers and the environment alike.
As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change and energy transition, innovations like those proposed by DENG Qianwen and their team offer a glimmer of hope. Their work not only advances the scientific understanding of integrated energy systems but also provides practical solutions that can be implemented in the real world. In doing so, they are helping to shape the future of the energy sector, one optimized system at a time.