Energiefahrplan, FHNW School of Computer Science

Topics

Load Management; DER (Distributed Energy Resources); Battery Storage; Power-to-Gas

Objetive

Competitive advantage through optimized energy management.

Background

The liberalization of the electricity market requires IBB to continue offering its customers competitive services and products at attractive prices in the future. Another challenge is renewable energy, which causes high volatility in the power grid. This volatility must be managed and harnessed in an economically viable way.

Research Results

In the field of load management, the identified optimization objectives were the reduction of peak loads and the smoothing of the overall load curve. This helps relieve IBB’s power grid and reduce incurred grid costs.

Technically, load management is implemented through a combination of measures: the electric boilers controlled via ripple control were newly grouped and their switching times optimized. In addition, further resources such as combined heat and power plants or water supply pumping stations can be controlled via IBB’s control system, and their operation has likewise been optimized.

Energy management is supported by a newly developed tool. Procurement contracts with different profiles can be managed efficiently and visualized clearly. Various calculated key figures enable a detailed assessment of the procurement situation. Current market data are periodically retrieved from the exchange, analyzed, and, in case of irregularities, the responsible parties are notified.

Monthly adjustments can be simulated using a what-if analysis tool in terms of costs and their impact on security of supply before they are implemented. Based on a mathematical cost model for these adjustments, the cost-minimizing procurement strategy can be calculated automatically, taking the defined risk tolerance into account.

Thanks to the adjustment of the load curve to the profiles of standard products traded on the energy exchanges, as well as cost-optimized rebalancing, IBB will continue to be able to offer its customers the energy they require at competitive conditions in the future.