The Role of Electricity Storage for Integrating Wind Power in Ireland (2010)

Authors:

David Connolly

In the PhD dissertation “Integration of fluctuating renewable energy using energy storage”, David Connolly used the EnergyPLAN model to analyse pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES). After completing an extensive review of existing energy tools, EnergyPLAN was chosen for this research due to its flexibility, transferability, and because it considers the entire energy system i.e. electricity, heat, and transport.

Once EnergyPLAN was chosen for this study, a reference model of the Irish energy system based on the year 2007 was developed, which would investigate if EnergyPLAN could be transferred from CHP based system such as that in Denmark, to a power plant based system such as that in Ireland. During this process, “The FIDE Guide” was also created, which outlines how you can develop a model of a new country in EnergyPLAN. The results from this study verified that EnergyPLAN model could simulate the Irish energy system accurately.

Afterwards, EnergyPLAN was used to evaluate the technical potential of PHES. Various capacities and operating strategies of PHES were simulated on the Irish energy system to identify how the wind penetration in Ireland could be increased: the results are available here.

Also, the “Advanced CAES” analysis for energy storage was also utilised during this study. Using this simulation in the EnergyPLAN model, it was possible to investigate the income feasible for PHES on various electricity markets. Once again, various operating strategies could be compared with one another so an optimal income could be compared with a realistic operating strategy. The results are presented in a journal paper.

Finally, during the course of this study, EnergyPLAN was also used to investigate the potential for a 100% renewable energy system in Ireland. Three separate scenarios were considered: a biomass based, hydrogen based, and an electricity based energy system. Benefits from each one were then combined to create the first outline of a 100% renewable energy system for Ireland

Journal papers from this study:

• Locating suitable sites for constructing PHES
• Developing a model of the Irish energy system
• Technical and economic analysis of electricity storage
• 100% renewable energy system for Ireland
• Designing electricity markets for electricity storage