Dispatch of High-Performance Compressed Air Energy Storage in Distribution Networks

The compressed air energy storage (CAES) system is considered as one of the major solutions to address challenges associated with integrating non-dispatchable wind power into the power system. To effectively tackle the limitations of conventional CAES systems, such as low energy conversion efficiency and high carbon emissions, we propose an innovative High-performance Compressed Air Energy Storage (Hi-CAES) technology that hybridises the CAES system with a high-temperature thermal energy storage (HTES) unit. In this study, we develop a linearized Hi-CAES model for the optimal operation of distribution networks with wind power penetration. The dispatch of Hi-CAES in the distribution network is formulated as a bi-objective optimisation model, with the aim of minimising network loss and wind curtailment. The ε-constraint method is utilised to search for Pareto solution sets. A case study on a modified radial IEEE 33-bus system is carried out to assess the performance of the proposed Hi-CAES system. The results demonstrate that Hi-CAES can significantly reduce the worst wind curtailment and network loss by 39% and 76% during the bi-objective optimisation process. Furthermore, the HTES unit enhances the charging power capacity of the Hi-CAES system and extends the discharging duration. The developed Hi-CAES model can be readily used in a wide range of power system operation scenarios.