IEA Task 50
Work Package 3
Overview of design and operation technology/algorithms.
In this work package an overview will be generated of the required software/algorithms for hybrid power plants. The work package will be organized by characterizing the different building blocks which define most hybrid power plant control algorithms. For each of these building blocks the aim is to get an overview of the available options, their specifications, their ability to work with uncertainty and their Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Combining the individual building blocks will result in a full landscape of the solution space, an identification of barriers and a roadmap.
Task Manager: Christopher Bay, NREL.
Considerations
• Control technologies – The control technology defines how the control algorithm interacts with the physical system. Important aspects here are: controllability, observability, loads, bandwidth, costs, and availability.
• Objective function – What are the important metrics to consider for hybrid power plants and how this can be mathematically quantified. Important aspects are convexity, constraints, scalability, and predictability.
• Internal models – The model used for decision making e.g. engineering model, empirical model. Important aspects are accuracy, computational load, coding language, included physics, disturbance modelling and fidelity.
• Estimators/Forecasting – The decision making typically depends on the fusion between models and data collected by the sensors. Algorithms have to be developed that bring these two together. Important aspects are forecast accuracy and uncertainties, sampling time, sensors required, type of model knowledge required and convergence speed.
• Optimizers – The objective function conditioned by the internal model will be used to make decisions on how actuators are employed over time. The important aspects are reliability, convergence, convexity, adaptability, robustness, ability to work with uncertainty, and computational complexity.
