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Incorporating renewable energy sources into the grid poses challenges due to their volatility and uncertainty in optimizing dispatch strategies. In response, this article proposes a cloud–edge collaborative scheduling strategy for distributed multi-energy systems, operating across various time scales. The strategy integrates day-ahead dispatch, intra-day optimization, and real-time adjustments to minimize operational costs, reduce the wastage of renewable energy, and enhance overall system reliability. Furthermore, the cloud–edge collaborative framework helps mitigate scalability challenges. Crucially, the strategy considers the multi-timescale characteristics of two types of energy storage systems (ESSs) and three types of demand response (DR), aimed at optimizing resource allocation efficiently. Comparative simulation results evaluate the strategy, providing insights into the significant impacts of different ESS and DR types on system performance. By offering a comprehensive approach, this strategy aims to address operational complexities. It aims to contribute to the seamless integration of renewable energy into distributed systems, potentially enhancing sustainability and resilience in energy management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Regarding the carbon neutrality target, the proportion of renewable energy in global energy sources is predicted to increase to 50% by 2050, and the increment in penetration requires fossil fuel power plants to play a key role in grid peak regulation. The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) is a promising peak-regulating method for power grids. However, due to the strong coupling between units, the flexibility of gas turbines cannot be fully utilized in response to power demand. This paper proposed a novel polygeneration system integrating syngas storage, hydrogen production, and gas turbines for power. Through syngas storage, the dynamic characteristic of each unit can be decoupled to take advantage of the flexibility of the gas turbine. Compared to the general IGCC system, the load change rate of the new system could be increased from 0.5%/min to 3-5%/min without altering the dynamic characteristics of the original equipment. The design capacity of the syngas storage tank could be reduced by decreasing the ramp rate of the power generation unit or increasing the load change rate of the gasification and hydrogen production units. For the new 300-MW system, the required syngas storage tank capacity reached only approximately 1872 m3 under storage conditions of 35 bar and 25 °C. Furthermore, the investment in the syngas storage tank only accounted for approximately 6.6% of the total investment cost. In general, the novel system can be more flexibly operated under variable loads with low carbon emissions, which can help to increase the penetration of renewable energy in the power grid.

Wind curtailment is currently one of the major challenges in China’s renewable energy development. Technical solutions to wind curtailment could include more flexible power sources, storage and grid facilities. These, however, are long-term solutions due to physical, economic and institutional constraints. We argue that an effective short-term solution could be the full utilization of the technical potential of the existing power system, particularly by using China’s dominant coal-fired power capacity to provide peak regulation services for the priority dispatch of wind power. This paper assesses the economic and environmental effects of this approach. To this end, four scenarios are developed: Scenario I—full wind curtailment and average dispatch of coal-fired power, Scenario II—no wind curtailment and average dispatch of coal-fired power, Scenario III— no wind curtailment and optimal dispatch of coal-fired power, and Scenario IV —partial wind curtailment and optimal dispatch of coal-fired power. The economic and environmental effects under the four scenarios are then computed using the GAMS program based on the load curve on a typical spring day for a coal-fired power plant and a wind farm in China’s northeastern Harbin City. The results of our research show that whilst Scenario IV has the best economic effects, Scenarios III and IV have the best environmental effects. Scenario IV is considered the optimal solution as more economic benefits could be realized at the expense of smaller wind curtailment. Drawing on these results, it is recommended to amend the Renewable Energy Law to allow a small proportion of renewable energy curtailment; to enhance the flexibility of the existing coal-fired power units; to advance energy efficient power dispatch approach; and to incentivise coal-fired power to provide peak regulation services for renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]