Planning and operation of integrated energy systems with high penetration of renewables

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As part of a comprehensive plan to make Canada a front-runner in clean energy exploitation, the Federal Government is accelerating its plan to phase out coal-powered electricity generation by 2030. Coal-fired power plants produce a considerable portion of the electricity in Canada, and hence eliminating them poses unprecedented challenges to reliable planning and operation for electric utilities. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that electric utilities are aiming to increase the penetration of intermittent and variable renewable energy sources such as wind power in their systems. To address the aforementioned issues, integrated energy systems, which consider the interactions among different types of energy demand, the electricity network, and the gas network, have been recently proposed. Integrated energy systems exploit the interdependency of different energy networks so as to ensure the reliable operation of those networks. In this regard, this project aims to develop comprehensive planning and operation approaches for integrated energy systems in the presence of high renewable energy penetration, which is still in its infancy. Novel research outcomes of this project will include accurate models of system components, such as energy converters, and new approaches and simulation tools for planning, operation, and reliability measures of integrated energy systems. The research results will provide significant technological inputs and references related to the design of integrated energy systems that will allow power and energy utilities to make more viable investments in the future. These works will help Canada to achieve a safe, reliable, and sustainable power supply while continuously adapting to increasing power generation from renewable energy sources. This research project will help Canada train highly qualified personnel, specifically power engineering graduates who will be well-equipped with skill sets relevant to advanced power and energy systems.