Energy storage systems will be indispensable for future energy supplies which are strongly geared towards renewable energies, in order to compensate for generator fluctuations and seasonal fluctuations. Geotechnical energy storage systems for storing hydrogen, synthetic methane, or compressed air as well as for storing heat offer both large storage capacities and storage times ranging from hours to months or years. A set of models has been developed by coupling existing models for the simulation of the energy networks, individual energy systems and the geotechnical storage systems and applied using realistic scenarios as an example, in order to integrate the geotechnical energy storage systems in the energy supply networks with different expansion paths of the energy networks and renewable energy generation as well as for the determination of economic operating scenarios. The effects induced in the subsurface are determined in terms of time and space using process-based simulation models and possible effects on protected assets and the interaction with other geotechnical storage facilities or underground uses are considered for the geotechnical storage facilities dimensioned in this way. The developed instruments are to be validated on the basis of mesoscale pilot plant and field tests. The results will be used to further develop a methodology for underground spatial planning.
Work packages of the European University of Flensburg
• Development of network models to simulate the electricity and energy networks in the expansion of renewable energies.
• Development of interfaces between network model, geological model, and power plant component model for integrated system analysis of geological storage facilities, power plants, surface systems and power grids.
• Scenario analysis of the grid expansion paths with RE shares of up to 100% for Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and within the European context.
• Integration of geological storage in the network infrastructure and determination of time-dependent high-frequency load profiles.
• Determination of a network and renewable energies expansion pathway in the case of heavy use of geological storage facilities as well as integration of high-temperature heat storage facilities, compressed air storage facilities and small thermal energy systems with specific storage usage concepts in the energy networks.
• Deriving usage scenarios for the subsurface.
• Development of component-based power plant models for the integrated description of the operation of compressed air storage and heat supply systems with geological storage in energy networks.
• Assessment of the attractiveness of different technical system configurations under changing energy industry framework conditions.