Day-Ahead Operational Strategy for Virtual Power Plant Considering Green Certificate Classification in Coupled Market

To normalize the issuance and trading of green certificates，the National Energy Administration （NEA） recently introduced a new policy. This policy mandates issuing tradable and nontradable green certificates for on-grid renewable energy electricity and spontaneous self-use renewable energy electricity，respectively. Although green certificates contribute in offsetting carbon emissions，maximizing the economic and environmentally friendly aspects of virtual power plants （VPPs） is important. This study proposes an approach to implement both green certificate trading and carbon emissions offsetting in the development of day-ahead operational strategy of the VPP. First，the electricity associated with tradable and nontradable green certificates of the VPP is quantified based on the "use what is generated，and the excess on the grid" mode of renewable energy generation in the VPP. The charging-discharging strategy in electricity storage for the renewable and non-renewable energy electricity is also considered. Second，a method for offsetting carbon emissions using green certificates is proposed，and the total amount of carbon emissions offset by the VPP under the two types of green certificates is calculated. Third，an optimal day-ahead operational strategy model of the VPP under the electricity-carbon-green certificate coupled market is developed to maximize the total revenue in the coupled market. This study demonstrates that the proposed approach enhances the financial performance of the VPP and boosts its renewable energy consumption capacity by engaging in carbon-green certificate trading under the new policy. Moreover，this approach contributes to an overall reduction in carbon emissions within the energy system.