An Optimization Model of CNG Refueling Station Considering Demand Response

The equipment in the CNG refueling station is highly electrified and consumes huge power. The electricity cost is an important part of the CNG refueling station operation cost. It is significant for the operators to lower the cost by carrying out economical optimization of the station under the guidance of the electricity market signal. In this paper, an optimization model is proposed for CNG refueling stations to study the economic impact after considering DR. This model further considers the pre-system electricity-gas cost model such as the dehydration device and the buffer tank. This model is a nonlinear 0-1 high-dimensional programming problem. It is solved by the SCIP solver in the MATLAB OPTI toolbox. The result shows 45.42% electricity-gas energy cost and 33.33% compressor switching frequency can be reduced comparing the original operating strategy under the guidance of Critical Peak Pricing. CNG refueling stations can participate in DR without changing the CNG filling load, reducing operating costs, and improving comprehensive energy utilization efficiency.