IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v140y2015icp120-134.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimisation of the capacity and the dispatch of decentralised micro-CHP systems: A case study for the UK

Author

Listed:
  • Merkel, Erik
  • McKenna, Russell
  • Fichtner, Wolf

Abstract

Cogeneration of heat and electricity constitutes an important pillar in energy and climate policy. The optimal dimensioning and operation of residential micro-combined heat and power (mCHP) systems is an important area of ongoing research, especially because these systems are prohibitively expensive. This paper presents an optimisation model for the capacity and dispatch planning of residential mCHP systems, which is applied with field data from the UK. The method possesses several novelties, including the consideration of technical and economic constraints previously overlooked, such as economies of scale for investments. The application of the model to empirical data demonstrates that economic savings of up to 30% in total annual costs can be achieved through an optimal sizing and operation of a system consisting of a mCHP unit, a peak load boiler and a hot water storage tank. The CO2 emissions in this optimised case are approximately the same as in the case with a mCHP unit only, but substantially (around 22%) below those in a case with a separate generation of heat and electricity from the grid. The new method has been validated in several ways, including a comparison to investments based on constant specific investments, which demonstrate that the latter consistently underestimated the total annual cost by up to 17%. This figure would be higher for larger, or a higher range of electrical CHP capacities. The largest uncertainty relates to the assumed load profiles, from one year, which are taken as representative for the whole time horizon of several years. Further research should focus on more accurately representing discrete operating modi as well as applying the method to other building objects and CHP technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Merkel, Erik & McKenna, Russell & Fichtner, Wolf, 2015. "Optimisation of the capacity and the dispatch of decentralised micro-CHP systems: A case study for the UK," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 120-134.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:140:y:2015:i:c:p:120-134
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.11.036
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261914011982
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.11.036?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ghadimi, P. & Kara, S. & Kornfeld, B., 2014. "The optimal selection of on-site CHP systems through integrated sizing and operational strategy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 38-46.
    2. Martínez-Lera, S. & Ballester, J. & Martínez-Lera, J., 2013. "Analysis and sizing of thermal energy storage in combined heating, cooling and power plants for buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 127-142.
    3. Barbieri, Enrico Saverio & Melino, Francesco & Morini, Mirko, 2012. "Influence of the thermal energy storage on the profitability of micro-CHP systems for residential building applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 714-722.
    4. Pruitt, Kristopher A. & Braun, Robert J. & Newman, Alexandra M., 2013. "Evaluating shortfalls in mixed-integer programming approaches for the optimal design and dispatch of distributed generation systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 386-398.
    5. Barbieri, Enrico Saverio & Spina, Pier Ruggero & Venturini, Mauro, 2012. "Analysis of innovative micro-CHP systems to meet household energy demands," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 723-733.
    6. Pinel, Patrice & Cruickshank, Cynthia A. & Beausoleil-Morrison, Ian & Wills, Adam, 2011. "A review of available methods for seasonal storage of solar thermal energy in residential applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(7), pages 3341-3359, September.
    7. Hawkes, A.D. & Leach, M.A., 2009. "Modelling high level system design and unit commitment for a microgrid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(7-8), pages 1253-1265, July.
    8. Fragaki, Aikaterini & Andersen, Anders N., 2011. "Conditions for aggregation of CHP plants in the UK electricity market and exploration of plant size," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 3930-3940.
    9. Bianchi, M. & De Pascale, A. & Melino, F., 2013. "Performance analysis of an integrated CHP system with thermal and Electric Energy Storage for residential application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 928-938.
    10. Cheng, Shikun & Li, Zifu & Mang, Heinz-Peter & Huba, Elisabeth-Maria, 2013. "A review of prefabricated biogas digesters in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 738-748.
    11. Buoro, Dario & Pinamonti, Piero & Reini, Mauro, 2014. "Optimization of a Distributed Cogeneration System with solar district heating," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 298-308.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Murugan, S. & Horák, Bohumil, 2016. "A review of micro combined heat and power systems for residential applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 144-162.
    2. Adam, Alexandros & Fraga, Eric S. & Brett, Dan J.L., 2015. "Options for residential building services design using fuel cell based micro-CHP and the potential for heat integration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 685-694.
    3. Ruddell, Benjamin L. & Salamanca, Francisco & Mahalov, Alex, 2014. "Reducing a semiarid city’s peak electrical demand using distributed cold thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 35-44.
    4. Schütz, Thomas & Schraven, Markus Hans & Remy, Sebastian & Granacher, Julia & Kemetmüller, Dominik & Fuchs, Marcus & Müller, Dirk, 2017. "Optimal design of energy conversion units for residential buildings considering German market conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 895-915.
    5. Lucrezia Manservigi & Mattia Cattozzo & Pier Ruggero Spina & Mauro Venturini & Hilal Bahlawan, 2020. "Optimal Management of the Energy Flows of Interconnected Residential Users," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-21, March.
    6. Gimelli, A. & Mottola, F. & Muccillo, M. & Proto, D. & Amoresano, A. & Andreotti, A. & Langella, G., 2019. "Optimal configuration of modular cogeneration plants integrated by a battery energy storage system providing peak shaving service," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 974-993.
    7. Maghanki, Maryam Mohammadi & Ghobadian, Barat & Najafi, Gholamhassan & Galogah, Reza Janzadeh, 2013. "Micro combined heat and power (MCHP) technologies and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 510-524.
    8. Mongibello, Luigi & Bianco, Nicola & Caliano, Martina & Graditi, Giorgio, 2016. "Comparison between two different operation strategies for a heat-driven residential natural gas-fired CHP system: Heat dumping vs. load partialization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 55-67.
    9. Farahnak, Mehdi & Farzaneh-Gord, Mahmood & Deymi-Dashtebayaz, Mahdi & Dashti, Farshad, 2015. "Optimal sizing of power generation unit capacity in ICE-driven CCHP systems for various residential building sizes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 203-219.
    10. Chesi, Andrea & Ferrara, Giovanni & Ferrari, Lorenzo & Magnani, Sandro & Tarani, Fabio, 2013. "Influence of the heat storage size on the plant performance in a Smart User case study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1454-1465.
    11. Adam, Alexandros & Fraga, Eric S. & Brett, Dan J.L., 2018. "A modelling study for the integration of a PEMFC micro-CHP in domestic building services design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 85-97.
    12. Fang, Tingting & Lahdelma, Risto, 2016. "Optimization of combined heat and power production with heat storage based on sliding time window method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 723-732.
    13. Haupt, Axel & Müller, Karsten, 2017. "Integration of a LOHC storage into a heat-controlled CHP system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 1123-1130.
    14. Buoro, Dario & Pinamonti, Piero & Reini, Mauro, 2014. "Optimization of a Distributed Cogeneration System with solar district heating," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 298-308.
    15. Gbemi Oluleye & John Allison & Nicolas Kelly & Adam D. Hawkes, 2018. "An Optimisation Study on Integrating and Incentivising Thermal Energy Storage (TES) in a Dwelling Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, April.
    16. Díaz, Guzmán & Moreno, Blanca, 2016. "Valuation under uncertain energy prices and load demands of micro-CHP plants supplemented by optimally switched thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 553-569.
    17. Hong, Taehoon & Kim, Daeho & Koo, Choongwan & Kim, Jimin, 2014. "Framework for establishing the optimal implementation strategy of a fuel-cell-based combined heat and power system: Focused on multi-family housing complex," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 11-24.
    18. Fuentes-Cortés, Luis Fabián & Ma, Yan & Ponce-Ortega, Jose María & Ruiz-Mercado, Gerardo & Zavala, Victor M., 2018. "Valuation of water and emissions in energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 518-528.
    19. He, Zhaoyu & Guo, Weimin & Zhang, Peng, 2022. "Performance prediction, optimal design and operational control of thermal energy storage using artificial intelligence methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    20. Pérez-Iribarren, E. & González-Pino, I. & Azkorra-Larrinaga, Z. & Gómez-Arriarán, I., 2020. "Optimal design and operation of thermal energy storage systems in micro-cogeneration plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:140:y:2015:i:c:p:120-134. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.