Information Gap Decision Theory-based day-ahead scheduling of energy communities with collective hydrogen chain

Abstract

Hydrogen is called to play a vital role in the future decarbonization of the electricity industry. Among its multiple applications, this energy carrier may improve the energy storage, replacing or complementing the traditional battery banks thanks to its higher energy density. However, the low efficiency and cost of associated devices as well as the difficulty in transport make unfeasible the implantation of hydrogen storage systems at the residential level. However, emerging paradigms like energy communities may change this concept making viable the installation of hydrogen chains in the domestic sector. This paper focuses on day-ahead scheduling of energy communities with integrated collective hydrogen storage system. To this end, a three-stage methodology is developed in which the first level is focused on individual home energy management, the second level handles with peer-to-peer energy trading among prosumers and the last level determines the energy exchanging profile with the utility grid accounting with the hydrogen chain. To handle with uncertainties from renewable sources, demand and energy price, the Information Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) is employed, by which an uncertainty-aware scheduling program can be obtained minimizing the negative effects of uncertain parameters. A case study is performed on a six-prosumer energy community with electrolysis, hydrogen vessel and fuel-cell, allowing both purchasing and selling energy with the grid. The results serve to prove the effectiveness of the developed methodology as well as demonstrate the possible impact of unknowns in energy community operation, and how the hydrogen chain can help to improve the economy and self-sufficiency of the system.