A framework for simulation and control of hybrid energy networks

For the built environment it is envisaged that in the next decades the total annual energy demand, both thermal and electric, could be covered by renewable sources generated within the built environment. An increasing number of thermoelectric elements, such as heat pumps and thermal storage, will enable conversion from heat to electricity and vice versa. Control in this environment therefore requires an integral management of both the heat network and the electricity network. In this paper we present a simulation framework which is able to simulate and coordinate multi-commodity flows on a district level using a wide variety of appliance models, taking into account different types of business objectives (e.g. time of use tariffs, peak shaving, etc.). To manage these flows a market-based multi-commodity algorithm, for integrated coordination of electricity and heat flows, was developed and integrated in the simulation framework. The algorithm is an enhancement of the PowerMatcher concept and thus inherits its advantages such as scalability and user autonomy. An example is given to demonstrate the use of both the simulation framework and integrated control algorithm.