Development of a tool to optimize demand response in thermal power plants. Simplex Method and GRG: Application to island power systems

Abstract

The penetration of renewable energies in island environments poses a series of challenges such as stability, demand response and guarantee of supply, among others. Throughout this work we will study the current conditions of electric energy demand in Gran Canaria and its electric production system. Based on the data and characteristics of the different combustion energy production equipment existing in the two power plants of Gran Canaria, a tool will be proposed to optimize the energy production system using combustion technology (non-renewable) and combine it with energy production using renewables that meet the expectations in terms of dynamic response, safety, scalability and integration with renewable energy systems, reduction of GHGs and reduction of production costs. This tool will be based on operational research, mathematical optimization methods, specifically on the simplex algorithm and the generalized reduced gradient (GRG) and will propose the different existing com-binations in order to achieve energy production that satisfies the demand, minimizing fuel consumption and green-house gas (GHG) emissions, optimizing the power available in Gran Canaria.