Evaluating the Impact of Multi-Carrier Energy Storage Systems in Optimal Operation of Integrated Electricity, Gas and District Heating Networks

Various energy networks such as electricity, natural gas, and district heating can be connected by emerging technologies for efficient application of renewable energy sources. On the other hand, the pressure shortage in the natural gas network and increasing heat loss in the district heating network by growth of gas and heat load in winter might play a significant role in the participation of combined heat and power units in the energy markets and operation cost of the whole integrated energy system. Hence, this paper presents a multi-network constrained unit commitment problem in the presence of multi-carrier energy storage technologies aiming to minimize the operation cost of an integrated electricity, gas and district heating system while satisfying the constraints of all three networks. In addition, an information gap decision theory is developed for studying the uncertainty of energy sources under risk-seeker and risk-averse strategies with no need for probability distribution function. Moreover, the role of multi-carrier energy storage technologies in integrated networks is investigated, which indicates decrement of total operation cost and reduction of the effect of wind power uncertainty on total operation cost in presence of the storage technologies.