Modelling

The developed model-scenario combinations serve following Key Goal. In addition to that, they also help addressing the more Practical / Application Oriented Problems.

Key Goal

Develop reference supply system models in conjunction with relevant and contemporary scenario formulations to test out modelling software.

Thus the key goal can be divided into two parts:

  1. Creating energy supply system models which can be subdivided further into two focuses: Component Focused Models and Grid Focused Models.

  2. Formulating scenarios which is guided by the Key Modelling Questions and are commonly labeled Commitment Problem and Expansion Problem.

Component Focused Models

The component focused combinations aim to model following 5 behaviours:

  1. Integration of volatile renewable energy sources into an existing system.

  2. Integration of energy storage technologies into an existing system.

  3. Year-round, hourly-resolved energy demands based on ambient climatic conditions.

  4. Cost optimally dispatching energy sources to meet the system’s demand.

  5. Reaching emission-goals cost optimally on given constraints, potentially expanding or adding certain low-emission components.

Grid Focused Models

The grid focused combinations aim to model 4 behaviours:

  1. Transportation losses and maximum transportation capacities

  2. Grid congestions issues

  3. Subsequent need of redispatch

  4. Potential expansion of transportation capacities to avoid two and three

Key Modelling Questions

  1. Which of the available and controllable components is used when and to what extend to meet a certain amount of energy demand, while minimizing overall costs and respecting component and energy transportation constraints as well as potential secondary objectives like an emission-goal?

    Commonly labeled as Commitment Problem

  2. Which of the available/what new components have to be expanded/added to reach certain secondary objectives like emission targets, while minimizing the overall costs to do so, as well as respecting given component and energy trans- portation constraints, while still meeting all the energy demands?

    Commonly labeled as Expansion Problem

Practical / Application Oriented Problems

  1. Given an expansion and/or commitment problem, what is the expected range of possible solutions using different softwares designed for the same purpose? Assuming different ori- gin leads to different presuppositions and focus of such softwar. Implying potential differences on what is modeled and thus potential result variance on equal input data.

  2. Given the large number of possible software candidates, what would be the best software to perform a certain indepth analysis when modeling an energy suppy system?