Abstract
The energy transition faces the challenge of increasing levels of decentralised renewable energy injection into an infrastructure originally laid out for centralised, dispatchable power generation. Due to limited transmission capacity and flexibility, large amounts of renewable electricity are curtailed. In this paper, we assess how Power-to-Gas facilities can provide spatial and temporal flexibility by shifting pressure from the electricity grid to the gas infrastructure. For this purpose, we propose a two-stage model incorporating the day-head spot market and subsequent redispatch. We introduce Power-to-Gas as a redispatch option and apply the model to the German electricity system. Instead of curtailing renewable electricity, synthetic natural gas can be produced and injected into the gas grid for later usage. Results show a reduction on curtailment of renewables by 12% through installing Power-to-Gas at a small set of nodes frequently facing curtailment. With the benefits of decentralised synthetic natural gas injection and usage, we exploit the advantages of coupling the two energy systems. The introduction of Power-to-Gas provides flexibility to the electricity system, while contributing to a higher effective utilisation of renewable energy sources as well as the natural gas grid.
Highlights
With the ongoing and future expansion of Renewable Energy (RE) sources, the amount of decentralised, intermittent electricity is increasing in the transmission grid
With the objective of this paper to assess the potential of PtG in redispatch, we make some assumptions to maintain a balance between technical accuracy, computational complexity, and result quality
Due to limited data available on the cost of electricity that Pumped Hydroelectric Storage (PHS) utilities have to pay, we further assume that an increase generation output in the redispatch is remunerated by the Market Clearing Price (MP), incorporating efficiency losses, given that the utility had to pay for its electricity demand from the market
Summary
With the ongoing and future expansion of Renewable Energy (RE) sources, the amount of decentralised, intermittent electricity is increasing in the transmission grid. Current redispatch procedures often result in curtailing RE in front of the congested transmission lines and increasing electricity output of conventional, dispatchable power plants behind the curtailed lines. Large-scale grid expansions can be expected to provide significant additional flexibility [6]. It will often take many years until additional capacity will be available. We have seen a growing interest in Power-to-Gas (PtG) as a promising technology to couple the electricity and gas sectors (Table 1). Based on the first-stage market results, the second-stage CM model resolves transmission line congestions through redispatch measures.
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