Methodology for optimized operation strategies of solar thermal power plants with integrated heat storage

The entry into the Spanish market of solar thermal power plants with integrated heat storage offers operators the opportunity to increase their yearly revenues. If maximum revenues are to be obtained, the actual electricity price and weather forecast must be taken into account and the power plant must consequently be run with a price-driven strategy. To achieve this, it is necessary to solve a complex optimization problem for scheduling the power selling at the day-ahead market. The derivation of the optimization problem is presented and its adaption to dynamic programming will be shown in the present paper. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved