Dynamic open-source simulation engine for generic modeling of district-scale energy systems with focus on sector coupling and complex operational strategies

Abstract

This paper introduces a new simulation engine for generic modeling that allows fast and efficient simulation of the energy supply of district-scale sector-coupled energy systems during their early planning stage. The engine combines rule-based control algorithms, system dynamics modeling and an agent-based approach to simulate energy systems, while providing extensive possibilities to model complex operational strategies without requiring linearisation. The simulation engine determines the energy flow and operational state of all components at each time step, providing a comprehensive understanding and evaluation of the system’s behavior. Users can select and size technologies, determine the connections between technical components, and define operational strategies individually. The underlying mathematical model is based on energy balances, with a special emphasis on the order in which the supplied, requested, and transformed energy is calculated. Additionally, the simulation engine is suitable for black box optimisation e.g. for optimal sizing of components. To demonstrate its applicability, the simulation engine is used to model an exemplary sector-coupled energy system using practice-related operational strategies, and the results show the expected behavior according to the implemented mathematical models and operational strategies. The simulation engine is released as open-source software, making it suitable for participatory development.