A Simulator for Long Term Planning and Real Time Scheduling of Polygenerative Microgrids

To face the complexity introduced by the ever-increasing participation of new energy sources, storage systems and controllable loads to electricity markets, Distributed Energy Systems must optimize the power exchange. Usually, Energy Management System (EMS) are used to manage Micro-Grids (MGs) operations, but computational timings may become prohibitive, due to high number of constraints and links between parameters and technical constraints. This paper describes the evolution of the Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) MATLAB Based Energy Management System (MB-EMS) developed at the University of Genoa, aimed at optimizing the operating costs of a MG or plant, considering technical constraints and limitations of electrical and thermal production units, energy storage systems, non-programmable loads and flexible loads. Costs related to maintenance interventions and CO
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emissions costs are also included, as well as incentives related to the High-Efficiency Cogeneration systems. Specific test cases for a real MG are solved in a short computational time over a time horizon of one year. Calculations are rapidly performed, also when dealing with 15 minutes resolution problems. In this sense, the developed tool can be used both as a real time scheduler, as instance for participation in the energy market sector, and in long term planning problems.