Modeling and optimal dispatch of hybrid CSP-PV system considering central receiver operation mode

Developing renewable energy is crucial for China to achieve its ‘Dual Carbon’ goals. The integrated operation of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants and photovoltaic (PV) systems with electric heater (EH) provides a solution to minimize solar power curtailment. In this study, a two-timescale optimal dispatch strategy is proposed with a hybrid CSP-PV system, and a detailed model of the CSP plant which includes its central receiver (CR) operation mode is developed to improve the model accuracy. In the day-ahead stage, a stochastic optimal dispatch model incorporating the hybrid system is developed to account for the uncertainty of solar irradiation. An intra-day rolling optimal dispatch model including the CR operation mode is developed by adopting the proposed detailed model. The dispatch decision is adjusted on a rolling basis by integrating the intra-day ultra-short-term solar irradiation forecast with the day-ahead dispatch decision. The proposed approach is tested on the IEEE-30 bus system, and the results show that the proposed strategy guarantees the robustness of the dispatch decision with full consideration of the CR operation under the effect of short-term solar irradiation fluctuations. Furthermore, the hybrid system with the EH integration strengthens the coupling mechanism between the CSP and PV subsystems improving the efficiency and the solar energy accommodation capability. • The hybrid concentrated solar power-photovoltaic system can increase the system efficiency and flexibility compared to the single system. • A detailed model of the concentrated solar power plant considering the central receiver operation mode is built to improve the modeling accuracy according to the practical operation. • The electric heater strengthens the coupling mechanism between the concentrated solar power and photovoltaic plants achieving better efficiency of the hybrid system as well as enhancing the solar energy accommodation capability. • A two-timescale optimal dispatch strategy with the proposed model achieves better robustness and efficiency compared to single-stage dispatch.