Energy storage cost and thermal power peak regulation

How does peak regulation affect the operating state of thermal power units?

While at the phase of normal peak regulation, the operation cost increases as the power output increases. Therefore, for economic operation, the optimal operating state of thermal power units better be maintained near the lower limit of normal peak regulation. Fig. 3. Deep peak regulation cost of thermal units.

Is there a trade-off between energy storage and peak regulation?

In the meantime, the trade-off between deploying energy storage and leveraging the deep peak regulation capacity of existing thermal generators remains to be explored.

Do thermal power units provide deep peak regulation?

Specifically, first, the flexibility requirement of renewable integration is quantified, and the operating characteristics of thermal power units providing deep peak regulation are modeled. On this basis, a capacity optimization for BES is proposed considering peak regulation characteristics of thermal power units.

Can renewable accommodation be met by peak regulation capacity in thermal power units?

Through case studies, the following conclusions can be drawn. When the renewable penetration rate of the system is lower than 18 %, renewable accommodation can be met by peak regulation capacity in thermal power units, leaving no requirement for deploying energy storage providing flexibility.

Do I need to charge the energy storage system for peak shaving?

The dispatching department calls it for free. When the output of thermal power unit is between (1 − k) Pthe and 0.5 Pthe, the thermal power unit has the ability for peak shaving. At this time, there is no need to charge the energy storage system for peak shaving. To avoid deep discharge in energy storage system, SOCmin is set to 20%.

What is the optimal energy storage allocation model in a thermal power plant?

On this basis, an optimal energy storage allocation model in a thermal power plant is proposed, which aims to maximize the total economic profits obtained from peak regulation and renewable energy utilization in the system simultaneously, while considering the operational constraints of energy storage and generation units.