Session: 17-03 Session 3

Paper Number: 80385

80385 - Optimal Strategy of the Energy Management Within the Microgrid Using the Hydrogen Fueled Gas Turbine 

The growing attention to the environmental issues coupled with the need to reduce pollutant emissions and to find alternatives to the fossil fuels, has led to an increase in the efforts to improve the renewable energy sources exploitation. Wind and solar present the advantage of being employed in applications where there is no connection to the electricity grid, or to produce synthetic fuels. To this respect, the hydrogen production enables both the employment of renewables, without causing issues to the electrical grid stability, and the reduction of the pollutant emissions during the restitution phase within conventional power generation systems. Indeed, in order to pursue the goals of de-carbonization and renewable sources exploitation, an efficient, cost-effective and environmental friendly employment of energy systems is mandatory.

The ERA-Net Project ZEHTC (Zero Emission Hydrogen Turbine Center) has been developed, aimed at the realization of a pilot plant consisting in the world first gas turbine test facility making use of the power produced during turbine tests – along with renewables (solar in particular) – for hydrogen production integrated with batteries storage. The hydrogen is produced via water electrolysis and it is locally used – mixed with natural gas – to run the gas turbine, thus reducing its environmental impact. In this context, the aim of this paper is the development of a strategy for the optimal management of the ZEHTC micro-grid, in order to maximize the exploitation of the solar source and to optimize the energy fluxes of the plant, contemporarily guaranteeing the desired availability of hydrogen for the planned gas turbine tests. On the basis of the yearly profile of solar irradiation of the installation site and of the tests planning, the yearly optimal management of the pilot plant will be shown and analyzed.

Presenting Author: Maria Alessandra Ancona University of Bologna

Presenting Author Biography: Maria Alessandra Ancona is Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna. Her main research topics focus on optimization strategies for energy production and distribution, cogeneration and hydrogen.

Authors:

Maria Alessandra Ancona University of Bologna
Michele Bianchi University of Bologna
Lisa Branchini University of Bologna
Francesco Catena University of Bologna
Andrea De Pascale University of Bologna
Francesco Melino University of Bologna
Saverio Ottaviano University of Bologna
Antonio Peretto University of Bologna