Session: 5.1 - Advanced Tools for Cyber-Physical Systems and Digital Twins

Paper Number: 118917

118917 - A Simulation Environment to Develop Control Strategies for Hybrid Energy Systems 

As the penetration of renewable energy continues to increase, the need to provide safe, affordable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable energy to the public becomes a priority, which requires the right balance between renewables and existing assets to address these new goals. As such, utilities are exploring the use of hybrid power systems, which can integrate multiple combination of traditional, renewable, and energy storage resources to deliver power to the public. Advanced, automated, and coordinated controls play a critical role in this scenario to operate hybrid systems in a safe, successful, and efficient way. This research explores the options, the capabilities, and the challenges associated with the control of hybrid power systems, which may include the integration of traditional, renewable, and energy storage systems. Specifically, this presentation introduces six potential hybrid systems that were identified out of multiple options. The selection was based on operational benefits such as efficiency, flexibility, and reduction of CO₂ emissions throughout hydrogen generation, storage, and blending. The main goal of this research project is to identify the right control strategy and the operational constraints associated with hybrid power systems to provide the optimal operation and coordination of multiple assets.

In this work, a simulation environment was developed to combine solar and wind energy, battery energy storage, fuel cell, hydrogen generation, storage, and blending in a gas turbine system.The discussion will be focused on integrating low- and/or hig-fidelity models that can be used to represent critical transient operations for the development of control strategies and optimal control systems. Specifically, a low fidelity model of a gas turbine system, low temperature fuel cell, and a low temperature electrolyzer where combined to the same environment with the goal of evaluating the challenges associated to the development of the control strategies for hydrogen generation and blending. Realistic time delays were also added to each component to reproduce the correct dynamic operation for startup and electric load following scenarios. Solar and wind energy systems were simulated using operational data as inputs to the simulation environment; specifically, 1-year of data was integrated in the model to reproduce sunny, cloudy, or windy days. Ongoing activities are looking at integrating pumped hydro units in the modeling environment that could provide additional generation and storage capabilities to the hybrid environment. Simulation results will be presented to show the operation of hybrid systems when multiple operational goals needs to be satisfied such as meeting local demand of electricity, storage capabilities, CO2 minimization, etc.

Presenting Author: Paolo Pezzini EPRI

Presenting Author Biography: Paolo Pezzini is a Technical Leader in the Enabling Technologies and Digital Transformation area at EPRI within the Generation Sector. Pezzini’s research focus areas include advanced and adaptive controls and the use of artificial intelligent and machine learning algorithms in power plant control systems. Pezzini has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering focused on automation and controls and a Master and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Genoa in Italy.