Abstract
The operations of electricity and natural gas transmission networks in the U.S. are increasingly interdependent, due to the growing number of installations of gas fired generators and the penetration of renewable energy sources. This development suggests the need for closer communication and coordination between gas and power transmission system operators in order to improve the efficiency and reliability of the combined energy system. In this paper, we present a co-simulation platform for examining the interdependence between natural gas and electricity transmission networks based on a direct current unit-commitment and economic dispatch model for the power system and a transient hydraulic gas model for the gas system. We analyze the value of day-ahead coordination of power and natural gas network operations and show the importance of considering gas system constraints when analyzing power systems operation with high penetration of gas generators and renewable energy sources. Results show that day-ahead coordination contributes to a reduction in curtailed gas during high stress periods (e.g., large gas offtake ramps) and a reduction in energy consumption of gas compressor stations.
Highlights
Electricity and natural gas transmission networks in the United States (U.S.) are interconnected energy infrastructures whose operation and reliability depend on one another to a large extent.The most significant interconnections between both energy systems exists at natural gas fired power plants (GFPPs) and electric driven compressors (EDCs) in gas compressor stations
The platform consists of a steady state direct current (DC) unit commitment and economic dispatch model to simulate bulk power system operations and a transient model to simulate the operation of bulk natural gas pipeline networks
The models are implemented in two separate simulation environments, namely, PLEXOS [14], a production cost modeling tool for electric power systems and SAInt [15], a transient hydraulic gas system simulator
Summary
Electricity and natural gas transmission networks in the United States (U.S.) are interconnected energy infrastructures whose operation and reliability depend on one another to a large extent. The most significant interconnections between both energy systems exists at natural gas fired power plants (GFPPs) and electric driven compressors (EDCs) in gas compressor stations. GFPPs represent generation entities in the power system, while at the same time they represent large consumers in the natural gas network. Gas generators require a minimum delivery pressure for operation, which, if violated, can lead to curtailment of gas offtakes, and in the worse case to a complete shut down of the GFPP [1,2]. EDCs, in contrast, represent electric loads in the power system, which are utilized by electric drivers to propel compressors in gas compressor stations in order to increase the gas pressure for pipeline transportation. We focus mainly on the impact of GFPPs on the operation of the combined energy system
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