A real-time energy management system for a grid-connected solar park using an electrolyser in the Netherlands

Optimizing to maximize the revenue

Master thesis (2022)

Authors

S.J. Middelkoop Mechanical Engineering

Contributors

H. Polinder Transport Engineering and Logistics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (supervisor 1)
Michiel Wildschut (supervisor 1)
F. Schulte Transport Engineering and Logistics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (supervisor 2)
S. Nasiri Transport Engineering and Logistics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
Copyright: © 2022 Sanne Middelkoop
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Published Date

01-12-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

This paper describes a real-time energy management system developed for a solar park in the Netherlands using an alkaline electrolyser. The optimization problem is split into a two-step optimization, taking into account the specifications of the electrolyser and allowing the electrolyser to respond to changes in the imbalance market. The first optimization step determines the state of the electrolyser one day in advance. The second optimization step determines the electrolyser power, using the state of the electrolyser as an input. Simulations using data from 2020, 2021 and 2022 show that the use of the electrolyser is limited to a number of days in the year with a lot of solar generation, causing the day-ahead prices to be low. Different scenarios have been tested to get insight into how the use of the electrolyser is influenced by these changes. The type of electrolyser, being able to put the electrolyser on standby and allowing the grid to be used for the electrolyser hardly affected the results. At last, different hydrogen prices are compared. The higher hydrogen prices lead to more use of the electrolyser. This real-time EMS contributes to the ability of an alkaline electrolyser to respond to the sudden changes in the grid and by doing this making it possible to use alkaline electrolysers for balancing the grid and contributes to the use of green hydrogen in the industry for a competitive price.