An optimization model for the provision of flexibility and dispatching resources by multi-vector smart energy districts

The Clean Energy Package expects a fundamental contribute for the decarbonisation of European energy system from Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), pushing Member States to favour the diffusion of energy production plants for individual and collective self-consumption. At the same time, DERs are required to contribute to system security mainly providing dispatching resources. The model developed includes the possibility to provide real-time balancing flexibility in a generic architecture where different energy vectors can be integrated through energy production, consumption and storage facilities. The optimization problem is built over a weekly time horizon with a stepwise approach where internal and external energy exchanges are defined updating meteorological forecasts, energy demands and markets results while approaching real-time operations. According to the Italian Authority consultation document 322/2019, both energy-only and capacity remunerated services are included in the model. The aim of the model is both to estimate the economic opportunities coming from energy markets participation for smart energy districts in the future energy framework, and to assess the actual capability and reliability of diverse DERs aggregates to provide flexibility to the external electric grid. These evaluations are carried out applying the presented model to a university campus case study where different energy conversion and storage plants are integrated at a Distribution Network level.