Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
What are the areas of an urban energy system that will benefit the most from
DERs?
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Compared to a 'plug and forget' strategy, how much are CHPs and PHEVs pro-
files going to change if they are optimally operated?
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What impacts can DERs have on energy service networks in terms of power
losses, operating costs, grid utilisation and emissions?
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An important impact of the above research questions is to motivate key decision
makers to begin pondering the conditions needed to allow all stakeholders to prop-
erly exploit the benefits of DERs while minimising their drawbacks in a smart-grid
context. Although, as mentioned previously, the smart-grid concept can mean a vari-
ety of things, and therefore it is subject to personal interpretation - unfortunately
sometimes confounding people outside of power systems. However, there is a general
consensus that its main objective involves seamlessly adopting new technologies to
existing infrastructures and maximising the use of resources.
This work showcases the relevance of how integrated modelling allows engi-
neers to begin describing the behaviour of future energy systems and consequently
help stakeholders make informed decisions on complex issues. It is important to clar-
ify that no single entity in today's energy sector - private or state enterprise - has
complete control of the energy exchanges between infrastructures and technologies
that are modelled here. As a consequence, the optimisation tool featured in this text
implicitly assumes that it has the authority and capability of effectively coordinating
all the elements within the urban energy system. For that reason, the results from the
simulations serve only as a benchmark to determine what techno-economical improve-
ments are possible in relation to today's energy flows. But most importantly of all,
it simultaneously addresses the relevance and value of having a central coordinating
body in an environment that no longer resembles traditional power systems.
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