Help modeling storage technologies

[Abdulaziz]

Hi,
I am attempting to introduce storage technologies to my model… mainly batteries, pumped heat, and possibly compressed air. I’m seeking help and guidance on how to proceed and putting my thoughts together.

Here is my situation so far:

1. I have solar and conventional electricity generation technologies. Initially I was considering storage for solar technologies only. I’m unsure at the moment if doing it this way would be an advantage or disadvantage. Appreciate your input.
   


2. Conventional electricity generation technologies options include cogeneration (electricity and water distillation). Water storage not considered at the moment.
   


3. Electricity is consumed by both electrical end-use technologies and reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technologies.
   


4. For electricity, time slice level is daynite. While for water its season.
   


5. The intention is to have the storage feed the grid for both end-use technologies and RO desalination. Your input will help me decide on whether to proceed this way or have batteries only feed the electricity end-use technologies leaving out RO.
   


6. The flow fraction for is different for each end-use technology.
   

Attached is the sheet constructed so far. I have searched the forum and read the documentation… I know there are missing pieces, but not sure where or how to proceed.

I truly appreciate your tips and guidance.

[Antti-L]

Could you also clarify whether there is some specific problem you are facing, or just asking guidance on more general terms?

However, concerning specific issues, I can see one such in your template, as follows:
You have the following value columns in your FI_T table:

  ● NCAP_AFC~DAYNITE~ELCC
  ● NCAP_AFC~ANNUAL~ELCC
  ● NCAP_AFC~DAYNITE

I understand the first two, but can you explain the purpose of third column, and the CG index that it is supposed to have? I guess it would again get ELCC as the CG (based on the table), but the values look strange and would be duplicates, wouldn't they?  Did you perhaps mean 'ACT'?

I can see you are using VEDA-FE, which may or may not fully support NCAP_AFC (for CGs), depending on the version. Perhaps you could show all the NCAP_AFC parameters for these processes from Browse → TIMES attributes?  If your VEDA does not support any CGs for NCAP_AFC, you might need to define 'ACT' as a commodity (with limtype 'N')...

[Abdulaziz]

Dear Antti,
Thank you very much for your prompt response. Yes, I am asking for guidance on how to proceed. Truly appreciate your support.
 
And indeed the NCAP_AFC~DAYNITE column is returning an error when I import the file. I thought this approach would be bounding the flow for the capacity at different availability... if that makes sense.
 
I'm use VFE 4.5.828. Attached is the screenshot of the browse screen.
 
Please feel free to disregard my approach and suggest a better approach to incorporate the storage?

[Antti-L]

>  indeed the NCAP_AFC~DAYNITE column is returning an error when I import the file.

I don't have any VFE at my disposal, but I tested your table with VEDA2 (Demo model, just changed ELCC to ELC), and I got no import errors at all.  The Commodity_group field was filled correctly with ELC (whereas you had nothing in that field?), and the third NCAP_AFC column was treated as defining duplicate values with the first column, as expected.  See picture below.
      
Therefore, I still don't understand what is the purpose of the values in the third column: They are simply overriding the values in the first column.

>  I thought this approach would be bounding the flow for the capacity at different availability... if that makes sense.

No sorry, it does not make sense to me.  You are already bounding the ELCC output flow with the 1st and 2nd column. Which flow you would want to bound with the 3rd column (as it is, you are again bounding the ELCC output flow with it)?  And why bounding e.g. the Lithium-ion battery flow to as low as 0.04?

Anyway, as I cannot test what would work with VFE, for me it is a bit difficult to help you further. It seems you would need the KanOrs support staff to help you.

[Antti-L]

Although I am not able to help with your VFE templates, I can point out one "missing piece":

When using NCAP_AFC and thus defining the capacity to represent the maximum output level instead of the maximum storage level, one can strongly recommend defining an NCAP_AFC for the maximum storage level as well.  Otherwise TIMES assumes the storage has unlimited capacity in terms of the amount of energy that can be stored. To define the maximum storage level corresponding to, say 8 hours' storage (amount of energy equivalent to 8 hours net discharge at full output capacity), for a process with STG_EFF=0.9, one can use the following parameter:

   NCAP_AFC(r,y,p,'ACT','DAYNITE') = 0.3333333 / 0.9;

The value 0.333333 comes from the ratio 8/24 (because by convention, for DAYNITE storage NCAP_AFC('ACT')=1 corresponds to an available storage capacity equivalent to one day's discharge at full output capacity, assuming STG_EFF=1). Note that 'ACT' is a predefined commodity group in TIMES (which should never be used in the topology). I hope that can be of some help.

[Abdulaziz]

Dear Antti, This is all very useful. I'll have a go at it. Thank you very much.