Multi-objective optimal operation of coastal hydro-electrical energy system with seawater reverse osmosis desalination based on constrained NSGA-III. (1st March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Bowen; Liu, Boyu; Yang, Dongsheng; Cao, Jun; Littler, Tim
• Is Part Of: Energy conversion and management. Volume 207(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03-01
• Subjects: Hydro-electrical energy system -- Operation optimization -- constrained NSGA-III -- Virtual energy storage -- Pumped storage -- Seawater desalination; Direct energy conversion -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Periodicals; Energy transfer -- Periodicals; Énergie -- Conversion directe -- Périodiques; Direct energy conversion; Periodicals; 621.3105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2020.112533
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0196-8904

Abstract

Highlights: A coastal hydro-electrical energy system considering desalination is proposed. The multi-objective operation optimization of the system is formulated. The virtual energy storage characteristics of the desalination is analyzed. The constrained NSGA-III algorithm can find the Pareto-optimal front of the problem. The cost of desalination plants is reduced by using virtual energy storage analytics. Abstract: To make best use of available coastal renewable energy and to meet local freshwater demand, optimal operation of a coastal hydro-electrical energy system with consideration of seawater desalination is proposed in this paper. The paper outlines a system configuration which is used to develop the virtual energy storage characteristics of a desalination plant and in which cost-savings are demonstrated while preserving the local desalinated water supply. To achieve the control criteria, minimization of the total period cost and tie-line power fluctuations are considered as two objectives in an objective function. Constraints are established based on the system configuration and the multi-objective optimization problem is solved with the third generation of the constrained non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-III) algorithm. Virtual energy storage characteristics of the desalination units is studied and utilized in the model. The paper examines several case studies to verify the feasibility and merits of the proposed method. The operational characteristics of the virtual energy storage components in the system is discussed, and sensitivity analysis of the operating parameters of the pumped storage hydropower unit and the seawater desalination unit are also conducted. Simulation results show that the proposed optimal operation approach is suitable for calculating the total cost as well as assessing the power stability on the tie-line, and NSGA-III is capable of determining the Pareto-optimal operational plans of the system.