Combining optimization and life cycle assessment: Design of low-carbon multi-energy systems in the SecMOD framework
Abstract
The decarbonization of industrial utility systems is an important step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonization can be enabled by sector coupling, which can also enhance system flexibility of low-carbon utility systems. However, exploiting sector coupling efficiently for the design of low-carbon utility systems is complex and, therefore, best addressed by mathematical optimization. Recently, the open-source framework SecMOD was introduced for the linear optimization of multi-energy models with adjustable spatial and temporal resolution. SecMOD considers environmental impacts by fully integrating life cycle assessment. In this work, we optimize a sector-coupled utility system supplying electricity, heating, and cooling. For this purpose, we extend SecMOD to allow mixed-integer decisions. Further, we investigate the benefits of a pumped thermal energy storage system consisting of a high-temperature heat pump, heat storage, and an organic Rankine cycle. We identify trade-offs in system design by comparing a least-cost design to a design with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. Combining heat pumps and heat storage is economically and environmentally viable and leads to synergies between sectors. However, the reconversion of stored heat to electricity cannot compete with alternatives, such as battery storage. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Book title
32nd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process EngineeringJournal / series
Computer Aided Chemical EngineeringVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
ElsevierEvent
Subject
Utility systems; Decarbonization; MILP; Pumped thermal storage; Sector couplingOrganisational unit
09696 - Bardow, André / Bardow, André
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