A Generic Unit Commitment Formulation for Compressed Air Energy Storage Plants as Mixed Integer Linear Program

Storage technologies can enhance the integration of volatile renewable energy in low-carbon future energy systems. Among these storage technologies, compressed air energy storage (CAES) is an option with a high degree of maturity and a broad range of existing technical concepts. So far, single technical concepts have mostly been assessed either from a technical or economic perspective. However, for a comparative assessment of different concepts, universal techno-economic models that allow to reflect specific plant characteristics in different market environments are needed. This paper proposes a generic unit commitment model for arbitrary technical CAES concepts under varying market conditions. The complete model formulation as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) is delineated in detail. Moreover, the model adaption to specific technical concepts and varying markets is outlined. A subsequent case study with two technical concepts in different market environments demonstrates the model’s applicability and highlights its advantages over other purely economic models. Finally, the approach is evaluated in terms of its limitations and possible improvements which lie in a better representation of the thermal energy (TES) storage and the addressment of uncertainty.