Abstract
The article contains the first considerations of the problematic of Ukrainian grid balancing issues raised by a rapid increase of RES share in total electricity supply. The provision of balancing electricity with accent on biomass combined heat and power plants (CHP) usage is considered. Three technical concepts are proposed for engaging of existing and planned biomass CHP into balancing operation primary operating in baseload regimes, namely – greenfield biomass thermal power plant (TPP) and CHP working primary in baseload regimes and provide balancing electricity when needed (with and without steam accumulation). It is shown that there are no principle technical limitations for biomass CHP/TPP usage for grid balancing. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of balancing electricity for proposed concepts are calculated and compared with the reference technology proposed by the national grid operator (gas-piston engines and/or gas turbine). According to the calculations performed the LCOE (EUR/MWh) of balancing electricity could be 77-88 EUR/MWh for biomass CHP primary operating in baseload and 216 EUR/MWh for greenfield biomass TPP against 206 EUR/MWh for gas-piston/gas-turbine for applied assumptions, prices and tariffs.
Highlights
Electricity generation by renewable energy sources (RES) in Ukraine during 2014-2018 demonstrated dramatic increase
According to [1] the essential part of grid electricity as for 1st quarter 2018 is supplied by solar PV (55%) and wind power (30%)
Total installed capacity of RES-to-grid objects for the 1st quarter of 2018 has already achieved 1.7 GWel with the increment of almost 700 MWel for the last 3 years [1, 2]
Summary
Electricity generation by renewable energy sources (RES) in Ukraine during 2014-2018 demonstrated dramatic increase (see Fig. 1). According to [1] the essential part of grid electricity as for 1st quarter 2018 is supplied by solar PV (55%) and wind power (30%). The results of specific sectoral RES-to-power grid modelling for Ukraine [3, 4, 5] demonstrates that such tendency will be continued and the structure of RES-to-power grid supply with dominant role of solar PV and wind power will remain the same till at least 2035. The national grid operator (dispatcher) – National power company “Ukrenergo” in their own comprehensive research [6] stipulates that “...present power grid balancing facilities (mainly large-scale coal-fired TPPs and at some extent large scale hydropower plants (HPPs) and hydro-accumulation power plants (HAPPs)) allows addition of installed capacity of non-stable RES-to-grid generation on the level of no more than 3 GWel”. The only solving of this potential problem currently proposed by NPC “Ukrenergo” is to build up new gas-fired power facilities (based on gas-piston and gas turbine technology) which are technically most suitable for balancing operation due fast response time on the request of grid balancing operator
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