Open AccessRole of thermal technologies for enhancing flexibility in multi‐energy systems through sector coupling: technical suitability and expected developments
Author(s) -
Witkowski Karol,
Haering Paul,
Seidelt Stephan,
Pini Nicole
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iet energy systems integration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2516-8401
DOI - 10.1049/iet-esi.2019.0061
Subject(s) - flexibility (engineering) , renewable energy , electricity , electricity generation , electric power system , thermal energy storage , work (physics) , smart grid , thermal power station , emerging technologies , grid , process engineering , environmental economics , computer science , engineering , power (physics) , mechanical engineering , electrical engineering , economics , ecology , geometry , mathematics , physics , management , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , biology
Thermal power generation technologies are widely used for electricity production, for heat provision in district or process heating systems, and for combined heat and power generation. In most cases, thermal technologies are heat driven and electricity is produced as a by‐product, thus resulting in a non‐flexible behaviour of the electricity production. Modern power grids are characterised by an increasing share of renewable leading to a need for enhanced and flexible ways of controlling the power flow. To provide services to the power grid, thermal generating technologies may be used in a more efficient way, coupled to gas and heat storage systems or aggregated in virtual power plants. Several technical factors determine which technologies are suitable for flexibility provision, including power ranges, start up times and ramp rates. In this work, carried out in the frame of the MAGNITUDE H2020 project, the technical characteristics of thermal sector‐coupling technologies were analysed using data from the seven real‐life project's case studies. The technical suitability was determined based on the product requirements in selected European power markets for the provision of identified system services. Expected future developments and trends were highlighted well.