IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v320y2025ics0360544225010850.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Research on quantitative evaluation and optimal allocation of electricity system flexibility

Author

Listed:
  • Qi, Ze
  • Guo, Sen
  • Zhao, Huiru

Abstract

Accurately assessing electricity system flexibility requirements and optimally allocating flexibility resources are critical for facilitating renewable energy integration. This study proposes multi-dimensional quantitative indexes evaluating both flexibility supply and demand characteristics. An integrated optimization model is developed to coordinate the deployment of different flexible resources including electricity line capacity expansion (addition), thermal power flexibility retrofit and energy storage, with scenario tree analysis addressing operational uncertainties. Time-sequential production simulation with 15-min resolution is employed, which can enable granular electricity system flexibility evaluation. Key findings reveal: 1) the evaluation indexes can effectively characterize node/system-level upward/downward flexibility gap, net demand for flexibility capacity, and shortage probabilities; 2) the thermal power flexibility retrofit and electricity line capacity expansion (addition) demonstrate greater cost-effectiveness, while energy storage systems retain advantages in operational flexibility provision; and 3) strategically calibrated demand response pricing balances user incentives with system costs. The methodology provides electricity system planners with a comprehensive toolkit for quantifying flexibility needs and implementing cost-effective resource allocation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Qi, Ze & Guo, Sen & Zhao, Huiru, 2025. "Research on quantitative evaluation and optimal allocation of electricity system flexibility," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225010850
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135443
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225010850
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.135443?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tang, Hong & Wang, Shengwei & Li, Hangxin, 2021. "Flexibility categorization, sources, capabilities and technologies for energy-flexible and grid-responsive buildings: State-of-the-art and future perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    2. Akbari, Ehsan & Mousavi Shabestari, Seyed Farzin & Pirouzi, Sasan & Jadidoleslam, Morteza, 2023. "Network flexibility regulation by renewable energy hubs using flexibility pricing-based energy management," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 295-308.
    3. Zhang, Yuanyuan & Zhao, Huiru & Qi, Ze & Li, Bingkang, 2024. "A two-stage low-carbon economic coordinated dispatching model for generation-load-storage resources considering flexible supply-demand balance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 373(C).
    4. Huber, Matthias & Dimkova, Desislava & Hamacher, Thomas, 2014. "Integration of wind and solar power in Europe: Assessment of flexibility requirements," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 236-246.
    5. Sinsel, Simon R. & Riemke, Rhea L. & Hoffmann, Volker H., 2020. "Challenges and solution technologies for the integration of variable renewable energy sources—a review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 2271-2285.
    6. Yasuda, Yoh & Carlini, Enrico Maria & Estanqueiro, Ana & Eriksen, Peter Børre & Flynn, Damian & Herre, Lars Finn & Hodge, Bri-Mathias & Holttinen, Hannele & Koivisto, Matti Juhani & Gómez-Lózaro, Emil, 2023. "Flexibility chart 2.0: An accessible visual tool to evaluate flexibility resources in power systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    7. Lund, Peter D. & Lindgren, Juuso & Mikkola, Jani & Salpakari, Jyri, 2015. "Review of energy system flexibility measures to enable high levels of variable renewable electricity," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 785-807.
    8. Miri, Mohammad & Saffari, Mohammadali & Arjmand, Reza & McPherson, Madeleine, 2022. "Integrated models in action: Analyzing flexibility in the Canadian power system toward a zero-emission future," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    9. Rinaldi, Arthur & Yilmaz, Selin & Patel, Martin K. & Parra, David, 2022. "What adds more flexibility? An energy system analysis of storage, demand-side response, heating electrification, and distribution reinforcement," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    10. Chu, Wenfeng & Zhang, Yu & He, Wei & Zhang, Sheng & Hu, Zhongting & Ru, Bingqian & Ying, Shangxuan, 2023. "Research on flexible allocation strategy of power grid interactive buildings based on multiple optimization objectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PB).
    11. Li, Jia & Liu, Feng & Li, Zuyi & Shao, Chengcheng & Liu, Xinyuan, 2018. "Grid-side flexibility of power systems in integrating large-scale renewable generations: A critical review on concepts, formulations and solution approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 272-284.
    12. Guerra, K. & Haro, P. & Gutiérrez, R.E. & Gómez-Barea, A., 2022. "Facing the high share of variable renewable energy in the power system: Flexibility and stability requirements," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    13. Heggarty, Thomas & Bourmaud, Jean-Yves & Girard, Robin & Kariniotakis, Georges, 2019. "Multi-temporal assessment of power system flexibility requirement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 1327-1336.
    14. Golmohamadi, Hessam, 2022. "Demand-side management in industrial sector: A review of heavy industries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    15. Li, Jianglong & Ho, Mun Sing & Xie, Chunping & Stern, Nicholas, 2022. "China's flexibility challenge in achieving carbon neutrality by 2060," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    16. Gjorgievski, Vladimir Z. & Markovska, Natasa & Abazi, Alajdin & Duić, Neven, 2021. "The potential of power-to-heat demand response to improve the flexibility of the energy system: An empirical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    17. Zhou, Yuan & Wang, Jiangjiang & Dong, Fuxiang & Qin, Yanbo & Ma, Zherui & Ma, Yanpeng & Li, Jianqiang, 2021. "Novel flexibility evaluation of hybrid combined cooling, heating and power system with an improved operation strategy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    18. Tang, Hong & Wang, Shengwei, 2021. "Energy flexibility quantification of grid-responsive buildings: Energy flexibility index and assessment of their effectiveness for applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fei Guo & Hujun Li & Fangzhao Deng, 2025. "Evaluating the Power System Operational Flexibility with Explicit Quantitive Metrics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-17, June.

    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. Gharibvand, Hossein & Gharehpetian, G.B. & Anvari-Moghaddam, A., 2024. "A survey on microgrid flexibility resources, evaluation metrics and energy storage effects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    2. Zang, Xingyu & Li, Hangxin & Wang, Shengwei, 2025. "Levelized cost quantification of energy flexibility in high-density cities and evaluation of demand-side technologies for providing grid services," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    3. Maitanova, Nailya & Schlüters, Sunke & Hanke, Benedikt & von Maydell, Karsten, 2024. "An analytical method for quantifying the flexibility potential of decentralised energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    4. Heggarty, Thomas & Bourmaud, Jean-Yves & Girard, Robin & Kariniotakis, Georges, 2020. "Quantifying power system flexibility provision," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    5. Zhao, Xudong & Wang, Yibo & Liu, Chuang & Cai, Guowei & Ge, Weichun & Wang, Bowen & Wang, Dongzhe & Shang, Jingru & Zhao, Yiru, 2024. "Two-stage day-ahead and intra-day scheduling considering electric arc furnace control and wind power modal decomposition," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    6. Hessam Golmohamadi, 2022. "Demand-Side Flexibility in Power Systems: A Survey of Residential, Industrial, Commercial, and Agricultural Sectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-16, June.
    7. Sasaki, Kento & Aki, Hirohisa & Ikegami, Takashi, 2022. "Application of model predictive control to grid flexibility provision by distributed energy resources in residential dwellings under uncertainty," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PB).
    8. Zhang, Yuanyuan & Zhao, Huiru & Qi, Ze & Li, Bingkang, 2024. "A two-stage low-carbon economic coordinated dispatching model for generation-load-storage resources considering flexible supply-demand balance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 373(C).
    9. Knorr, L. & Buchenau, N. & Schlosser, F. & Divkovic, D. & Prina, M.G. & Meschede, H., 2025. "Electrification and flexibility of process heat in energy system modelling: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    10. Bruno Cárdenas & Lawrie Swinfen-Styles & James Rouse & Seamus D. Garvey, 2021. "Short-, Medium-, and Long-Duration Energy Storage in a 100% Renewable Electricity Grid: A UK Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-28, December.
    11. Pang, Simian & Xu, Qingshan & Yang, Yongbiao & Cheng, Aoxue & Shi, Zhengkun & Shi, Yun, 2024. "Robust decomposition and tracking strategy for demand response enhanced virtual power plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 373(C).
    12. Arjuna Nebel & Christine Krüger & Tomke Janßen & Mathieu Saurat & Sebastian Kiefer & Karin Arnold, 2020. "Comparison of the Effects of Industrial Demand Side Management and Other Flexibilities on the Performance of the Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Andrychowicz, Mateusz & Olek, Blazej & Przybylski, Jakub, 2017. "Review of the methods for evaluation of renewable energy sources penetration and ramping used in the Scenario Outlook and Adequacy Forecast 2015. Case study for Poland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 703-714.
    14. Sinn, Hans-Werner, 2017. "Buffering volatility: A study on the limits of Germany's energy revolution," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 130-150.
    15. Child, Michael & Kemfert, Claudia & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Breyer, Christian, 2019. "Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 139, pages 80-101.
    16. Lechl, Michael & Fürmann, Tim & de Meer, Hermann & Weidlich, Anke, 2023. "A review of models for energy system flexibility requirements and potentials using the new FLEXBLOX taxonomy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    17. Ribó-Pérez, David & Heleno, Miguel & Álvarez-Bel, Carlos, 2021. "The flexibility gap: Socioeconomic and geographical factors driving residential flexibility," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    18. Tang, Hong & Wang, Shengwei, 2022. "Multi-level optimal dispatch strategy and profit-sharing mechanism for unlocking energy flexibilities of non-residential building clusters in electricity markets of multiple flexibility services," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 35-45.
    19. Cárdenas, Bruno & Ibanez, Roderaid & Rouse, James & Swinfen-Styles, Lawrie & Garvey, Seamus, 2023. "The effect of a nuclear baseload in a zero-carbon electricity system: An analysis for the UK," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 256-272.
    20. Quanhui Che & Suhua Lou & Yaowu Wu & Xiangcheng Zhang & Xuebin Wang, 2019. "Optimal Scheduling of a Multi-Energy Power System with Multiple Flexible Resources and Large-Scale Wind Power," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-14, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225010850. 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.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    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.