Search

The reduction in PV prices and interest in energy independence accelerate the adoption of residential battery storage. This storage can support various functions of an energy system undergoing decarbonization. In this work, operative benefits of storage from the system perspective, namely, generation cost reduction and congestion mitigation, are investigated. Germany is chosen as a case study due to its strong reliance on variable renewable energy. For the analysis, an economic dispatch model with a high spatial resolution is coupled with a pan-European transmission grid model. It is shown that the system's generation costs are highest when the assets are used only to maximize PV self-consumption, and the costs are lowest when the storage also reacts to the market dynamics. This amounts to a 6% cost reduction. Both operation strategies result in an equal level of grid congestion and infrastructure loading. This is improved with a strategy that accounts for regional peak reduction as a secondary objective. The high congestion level emphasizes that grid expansion needs to keep pace with the generation and electrification expansion necessary to decarbonize other sectors. Lastly, policymakers should enable multipurpose utilization, e.g., via the introduction of market-oriented retail electricity prices with intervention options for grid operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays decarbonisation of the energy system is one of the main concerns for most governments. Renewable energy technologies, such as rooftop photovoltaic systems and home battery storage systems, are changing the energy system to be more decentralised. As a consequence, new ways of energy business models are emerging, e.g., peer-to-peer energy trading. This new concept provides an online marketplace where direct energy exchange can occur between its participants. The purpose of this study is to conduct a content analysis of the existing literature, ongoing research projects, and companies related to peer-to-peer energy trading. From this review, a summary of the most important aspects and journal papers is assessed, discussed, and classified. It was found that the different energy market types were named in various ways and a proposal for standard language for the several peer-to-peer market types and the different actors involved is suggested. Additionally, by grouping the most important attributes from peer-to-peer energy trading projects, an assessment of the entry barrier and scalability potential is performed by using a characterisation matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany targets to increase the electricity generation from renewable energy sources and combined heat and power plants. The selected targets increase the total cost of electricity carried by consumers as well as increases the share of decentralized energy generation. To achieve higher cost effectiveness as well as increasing the decentralized share of renewable energy, pressure is put on decentralized energy system operation management and expansion planning. This work studies a decentralized expansion planning with a special focus in generating flexibility options in a decentralized region with a high share of renewable energy generation. The analysis is conducted with a scenario-based optimization modeling approach. The results show that flexibility options can reduce the cost of the system. However, the side effect of a decentralized market-oriented operation can lead to a difficulty of grid control. The region should set a long term expansion plan with the consideration of flexibility options, generation technologies as well as ICT infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-user flexibility is an essential resource for decarbonized energy systems, and can be exploited via distributed flexibility markets. To participate, end-users must weigh potential revenues against their primary objectives, subject to their operational constraints. This work presents a technology-neutral framework to simultaneously determine the optimal operation, flexibility bids and prices by extending original operation planning problems into two-stage stochastic ones. Recovery constraints are introduced to exclude potentially adverse bids. As case studies, diverse residential end-users, who minimize their cost and additionally place flexibility bids, are analyzed. The results reveal complex time-varying and system-specific dynamics of bid volumes and prices. For example, heating systems receiving flat electricity rates can effortlessly bid flexibility from forcing early heat generation, namely, positive flexibility for combined heat and power units and negative flexibility for heat pumps. However, under time-varying rates, bid patterns change and become synchronized, which can cause scarcity in markets with homogeneous participants. With this framework, end-users can assess technical and economic potentials, plan their operations and market participation. As operation planning also reckons with the expected flexibility demand of the system, bids in time of need are likely higher. Lastly, detailed potential assessments also aid operators in designing flexibility portfolios or markets. • Stochastic programming integrates uncertain flexibility calls in operation planning. • Bids respect operation constraints and objectives via the direct integration. • The introduced buffer prevents system-adverse recovery after the provision. • Optimal flexibility bids and related prices are time- and system-dependent. • The synchronization effect of time-varying electricity rates can cause bid scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]