Temporal resolution. The temporal resolution of a model is the time-step of which simulation (or optimization) is conducted. Short time-steps of a second or less can be suitable for load and frequency balancing of the electricity grid, but very demanding if modelling for long time horizons. Hourly time-steps have become standard practice in inte- grated energy system analyses conducted using the EnergyPLAN tool [19–21]. Hourly time steps allow the model to take fluctuations of energy demands and renewable energy production into consideration while maintaining a temporal resolution that enables simulation of one or several years. Input data, such as elec- tricity and heat demands or electricity and fuel prices, is also typically readily available in an hourly format. Obtaining such data for time-steps of a second or less can be challenging, rendering short-time steps coun- terproductive to the simulation regardless. Higher temporal resolutions of a day, week, month, or even full years have also been applied in modelling. Such high temporal resolutions can be used when modelling for very long planning horizons; however, some of the temporal interactions are lost. This approach is thus also mainly relevant where intra-day, intra-week, intra-month or intra-year variations may be considered incon- sequential for modelling results. This is e.g. the case with non-sector integrated systems based on storable fuels. The planning horizon denotes the period for which the modelling tool will simulate the operation of the energy system. This might only be one day for very detailed models with low temporal resolutions of a second or less, but for hourly or yearly models, the planning horizon can range from one year and upwards of 50 years. Depending on the purpose of the energy system model, different approaches will be preferable. Some mod- els focus on providing a detailed simulation of a single energy sector such as the electricity sector, whereas other models emphasize an integrated modelling approach where the interplay of sectors and technologies is essential. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but if the goal is designing future integrated energy systems, a holistic sector-integrated approach appears to be needed. The following describes examples of existing widely applied energy system modelling tools. The tools de- scribed are categorised according to three distinct planning scales: Global/international, National, and Local community/site-specific project. This further includes key characteristics of the tools, as outlined previously. The purpose of this description is not to provide an extensive and all-encompassing review of all existing tools, but merely to provide examples of available tools and their primary application purposes. Global/international energy system models enable the modelling of energy systems containing several coun- tries, or interconnection and exchange of energy across borders. This is relevant for example when analysing interconnected markets such as the electricity market, in which countries are connected and trade electricity. Models with large geographical scales and long time steps are typically designed as top-down models so that technical details can be omitted [22]. Such international interactions can be analysed in the modelling tool BALMOREL [23] developed in the coding language GAMS. BALMOREL emphasizes the electricity and com- bined heat and power sectors and allows simulations of varying time-steps, including hourly and daily. Inputs and results can be included for individual areas such as countries, regions, or district heating areas, and has been applied in a variety of different projects internationally. Additional examples of tools applicable to mod- ▇▇▇▇▇▇ global/international energy systems include MESSAGE, EMPS, LEAP, GEM-E3, EnergyPLAN, TIMES. For national energy systems analysis, tools such as TIMES [24], EnergyPLAN [25], and LEAP [26], are widely utilized globally. The TIMES tool has been used to simulate goals for the European Commission and is widely used for country models. TIMES is able to represent the entire energy system and its development over long time horizons of 20 to 100 years. The LEAP tool is also capable of modelling a variety of different integrated energy systems and is based on annual time steps. It is designed around the principle of scenarios, which can be compared and the most advantageous scenario can be chosen. LEAP is used in more than 30 countries for the development of energy plans. EnergyPLAN simulates the operation of national energy systems based on the operation for one year with hourly time-steps. EnergyPLAN is based on endogenously defined priorities of all relevant units and what the developers denote “analytical programming” in which the reaction of each unit to given impetuses are pre-programmed. In the model, the energy system is described through aggre- gated inputs. This implies that e.g. power plants are aggregated and the aggregated capacity correlates to one input value. The hourly simulation approach enables EnergyPLAN to analyse the influence of variable renewable energy generation and integration of sectors. Tools for local community energy systems or site-specific projects typically allow for more detailed modelling and simulation than tools whose primary purpose are large-scale energy systems. This can involve shorter simulation time-steps, in some cases less than one second, or allow detailed specifications of the included technologies. Such an approach can be useful for load and frequency simulations, for example in household photovoltaic systems, something that can be modelled in detail in TRNSYS. Other applications for the use of site-specific tool includes modelling of district heating systems and related technologies, as it is possible using the EnergyPRO software. The tool ▇▇▇▇▇ [27] is specialized in modelling, simulating, and optimizing hybrid distributed- and micro-grid energy systems. ▇▇▇▇▇ is often applied for early-stage design and feasibility studies for distributed energy systems, for example when designing off-grid systems. Finally, there are also tools available in which the modelling scale can be adjusted, with RETScreen [28] being an example of such a tool that can be applied for both small and large-scale projects. Research trends: tool usage in energy planning The terms “tool” and “model” are often in literature used interchangeably, and for the purpose of this study, either is acceptable. This is however further complicated by the interchanging use of “model” and “frame- work” in a large body of research not specifically dealing with the use of computer tools, but instead with frameworks or general methodologies for strategic energy planning. The literature of such nature is omitted from the review for this deliverable. Research on the use of tools and models is conducted both on a holistic/systemic energy planning level (plan- ning emphasizing several energy sectors) and for a sector-based level (e.g. electricity or transport sectors).
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Grant Agreement
Temporal resolution. The temporal resolution of a model is the time-step of which simulation (or optimization) is conducted. Short time-steps of a second or less can be suitable for load and frequency balancing of the electricity grid, but very demanding if modelling for long time horizons. Hourly time-steps have become standard practice in inte- grated energy system analyses conducted using the EnergyPLAN tool [19–21]. Hourly time steps allow the model to take fluctuations of energy demands and renewable energy production into consideration while maintaining a temporal resolution that enables simulation of one or several years. Input data, such as elec- tricity and heat demands or electricity and fuel prices, is also typically readily available in an hourly format. Obtaining such data for time-steps of a second or less can be challenging, rendering short-time steps coun- terproductive to the simulation regardless. Higher temporal resolutions of a day, week, month, or even full years have also been applied in modelling. Such high temporal resolutions can be used when modelling for very long planning horizons; however, some of the temporal interactions are lost. This approach is thus also mainly relevant where intra-day, intra-week, intra-month or intra-year variations may be considered incon- sequential for modelling results. This is e.g. the case with non-sector integrated systems based on storable fuels. The planning horizon denotes the period for which the modelling tool will simulate the operation of the energy system. This might only be one day for very detailed models with low temporal resolutions of a second or less, but for hourly or yearly models, the planning horizon can range from one year and upwards of 50 years. Depending on the purpose of the energy system model, different approaches will be preferable. Some mod- els focus on providing a detailed simulation of a single energy sector such as the electricity sector, whereas other models emphasize an integrated modelling approach where the interplay of sectors and technologies is essential. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but if the goal is designing future integrated energy systems, a holistic sector-integrated approach appears to be needed. The following describes examples of existing widely applied energy system modelling tools. The tools de- scribed are categorised according to three distinct planning scales: Global/international, National, and Local community/site-specific project. This further includes key characteristics of the tools, as outlined previously. The purpose of this description is not to provide an extensive and all-encompassing review of all existing tools, but merely to provide examples of available tools and their primary application purposes. Global/international energy system models enable the modelling of energy systems containing several coun- tries, or interconnection and exchange of energy across borders. This is relevant for example when analysing interconnected markets such as the electricity market, in which countries are connected and trade electricity. Models with large geographical scales and long time steps are typically designed as top-down models so that technical details can be omitted [22]. Such international interactions can be analysed in the modelling tool BALMOREL [23] developed in the coding language GAMS. BALMOREL emphasizes the electricity and com- bined heat and power sectors and allows simulations of varying time-steps, including hourly and daily. Inputs and results can be included for individual areas such as countries, regions, or district heating areas, and has been applied in a variety of different projects internationally. Additional examples of tools applicable to mod- ▇▇▇▇▇▇ global/international energy systems include MESSAGE, EMPS, LEAP, GEM-E3, EnergyPLAN, TIMES. For national energy systems analysis, tools such as TIMES [24], EnergyPLAN [25], and LEAP [26], are widely utilized globally. The TIMES tool has been used to simulate goals for the European Commission and is widely used for country models. TIMES is able to represent the entire energy system and its development over long time horizons of 20 to 100 years. The LEAP tool is also capable of modelling a variety of different integrated energy systems and is based on annual time steps. It is designed around the principle of scenarios, which can be compared and the most advantageous scenario can be chosen. LEAP is used in more than 30 countries for the development of energy plans. EnergyPLAN simulates the operation of national energy systems based on the operation for one year with hourly time-steps. EnergyPLAN is based on endogenously defined priorities of all relevant units and what the developers denote “analytical programming” in which the reaction of each unit to given impetuses are pre-programmed. In the model, the energy system is described through aggre- gated inputs. This implies that e.g. power plants are aggregated and the aggregated capacity correlates to one input value. The hourly simulation approach enables EnergyPLAN to analyse the influence of variable renewable energy generation and integration of sectors. Tools for local community energy systems or site-specific projects typically allow for more detailed modelling and simulation than tools whose primary purpose are large-scale energy systems. This can involve shorter simulation time-steps, in some cases less than one second, or allow detailed specifications of the included technologies. Such an approach can be useful for load and frequency simulations, for example in household photovoltaic systems, something that can be modelled in detail in TRNSYS. Other applications for the use of site-specific tool includes modelling of district heating systems and related technologies, as it is possible using the EnergyPRO software. The tool ▇▇▇▇▇ [27] is specialized in modelling, simulating, and optimizing hybrid distributed- and micro-grid energy systems. ▇▇▇▇▇ is often applied for early-stage design and feasibility studies for distributed energy systems, for example when designing off-grid systems. Finally, there are also tools available in which the modelling scale can be adjusted, with RETScreen [28] being an example of such a tool that can be applied for both small and large-scale projects. Research trends: tool usage in energy planning The terms “tool” and “model” are often in literature used interchangeably, and for the purpose of this study, either is acceptable. This is however further complicated by the interchanging use of “model” and “frame- work” in a large body of research not specifically dealing with the use of computer tools, but instead with frameworks or general methodologies for strategic energy planning. The literature of such nature is omitted from the review for this deliverable. Research on the use of tools and models is conducted both on a holistic/systemic energy planning level (plan- ning emphasizing several energy sectors) and for a sector-based level (e.g. electricity or transport sectors).
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Grant Agreement