Value-Driven System Design of Utility-Scale Airborne Wind Energy

Joshi, R.; Kruijff, Michiel; Schmehl, R.

doi:10.3390/en16042075

Value-Driven System Design of Utility-Scale Airborne Wind Energy

Title

Value-Driven System Design of Utility-Scale Airborne Wind Energy

Author

Joshi, R. (TU Delft Wind Energy)
Kruijff, Michiel (Ampyx Power)
Schmehl, R. (TU Delft Wind Energy)

Date

2023

Abstract

In the current auction-based electricity market, the design of utility-scale renewable energy systems has traditionally been driven by the levelised cost of energy (LCoE). However, the market is gradually moving towards a subsidy-free era, which will expose the power plant owners to the fluctuating prices of electricity. This paper presents a computational approach to account for the influence of time-varying electricity prices on the design of airborne wind energy (AWE) systems. The framework combines an analytical performance model, providing the power curve of the system, with a wind resource characterisation based on ERA5 reanalysis data. The resulting annual energy production (AEP) model is coupled with a parametric cost model based on reference prototype data from Ampyx Power B.V. extended by scaling laws. Ultimately, an energy price model using real-life data from the ENTSO-E platform maintained by the association of EU transmission system operators was used to estimate the revenue profile. This framework was then used to compare the performance of systems based on multiple economic metrics within a chosen design space. The simulation results confirmed the expected behaviour that the electricity produced at lower wind speeds has a higher value than that produced at higher wind speeds. To account for this electricity price dependency on wind speeds in the design process, we propose an economic metric defined as the levelised profit of energy (LPoE). This approach determines the trade-offs between designing a system that minimises cost and designing a system that maximises value.

Subject

airborne wind energy
day-ahead electricity market
merit order effect
levelised cost of energy
levelised profit of energy
system design
value factor

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c7ddac8a-3af4-4dbe-820e-36fd32460fd2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/en16042075

ISSN

1996-1073

Source

Energies, 16 (4)

Part of collection

Institutional Repository