An inexact multiple-recourse hybrid-fuel management model with considering carbon reduction requirement for a biofuel-penetrated heating system

Abstract

In China’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060, the blending-biofuel-based heating technique is being used to reduce CO2 and air-pollutant emissions in existing district heating systems in northern China. This brings a series of new system components, complex interactions, and multiple-polymorphic uncertainties to the heating systems, making it difficult for the heating-system manager to improve the traditional fuel management mode while considering the demands of society, economy, policy, environment, and system operation. To address this issue, this study proposes an inexact multi-recourse hybrid-fuel management model for a biofuel-penetrated district heating system (BDHS). The model minimizes the total heating cost by optimizing the biofuel blending ratio, coal and biofuel deficit-recourse pattern among different heating sources, and selecting the optimal CO2 reduction mode under uncertainties. An application of the model to a BDHS case in Dalian City shows that the 5% biofuel blending ratio is suitable for both main heating sources and that the 0 deficit of high-quality coal can be up to [2.48, 2.69] × 103 tonne with the “cold-degree” changing from “mild” to “cold”. The results also indicate that the proposed model can ensure biofuels and high-quality coal are not overused or misused, but instead consumed responsibly. Additionally, most of the CO2 produced in the pulverized coal boiler is traded, while most of the CO2 sourced from the circulating fluid bed boiler is treated by the chemical absorption equipment. Finally, the model reveals that a high system cost (up to [84.73, 96.83] × 106 CNY) and low CO2 emission (down to [66.13, 78.07] × 103 tonne) can be obtained at a high thermalization coefficient through the tradeoff analysis.