Optimal Operation of an Energy Hub with Multiple CCHPs for High Efficiency and Low Emissions

In this paper, an optimal operation for an energy hub with multiple combined cooling heating and power (CCHP) systems is proposed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve energy efficiency. The proposed model comprises a compound objective function to minimize operation cost and GHG emissions, and a set of constraints to represent multi-energy storage, nonlinear multi-energy coupling of CCHP, and multi-energy conversion. Due to the nonlinear relationship of power efficiency and GHG emissions with the CCHP load rate, multiple CCHPs with different capacities can be reasonably scheduled, and the power for each subsystem is optimally allocated to satisfy the electricity, cooling, and heating demands. Finally, the optimal operation of an EH with multiple CCHPs is examined. Simulation results show that the proposed operation has advantages in improving energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions, compared with the single CCHP model.