1. Han Wang Flexibility in a Whole-Energy System Context
PhD researcher, Year 2
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
ORCID ID:
@hannahhanwang

2. Traditional power systems
Flexibility in a Whole-Energy System Context
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility describes the system ability to cope with events that may cause imbalances between supply and demand at different time frames while maintaining the system reliability in a cost-effective manner
Traditional power systems 1
Power plants
Conventional generation (i.e., coal, gas)
Generate electricity
Transmission network
Carry electricity long distances
Distribution network
Carry low voltage electricity to consumers
Consumers
Homes, offices and factories use electricity for lighting and heating and to power appliances
Power plants (supply):
Large fossil fuel power plants, stable and controllable → provide system flexibility.
Contribute a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions → climate change
Transmission and distribution:
Requires massive infrastructure
Consumers (demand):
Demand side is uncontrollable, and not responsive 2
Why we need Flexibility?

3. Distributed renewables
Flexibility in a Whole-Energy System Context
Future power systems 1
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility describes the system ability to cope with events that may cause imbalances between supply and demand at different time frames while maintaining the system reliability in a cost-effective manner
Power plants
Conventional generation (i.e., coal, gas)
Generate electricity
Transmission network
Carry electricity long distances
Distribution network
Carry low voltage electricity to consumers
Consumers
Homes, offices and factories use electricity for lighting and heating and to power appliances
Distributed renewables:
Clean, sustainable energy → no emissions
No fuel needed → low operational costs
Intermittent generation, uncontrollable → create imbalance between supply and demand
Replace traditional power plants → less flexibility available
Pros
Cons
Distributed renewables
i.e., wind, solar
Energy storage
i.e., battery, hot water tank
Why we need Flexibility? 2

4. Demand side flexibility Curtailment of energy use
Flexibility in a Whole-Energy System Context
Where can Flexibility come from?
Flexible generation units
Such as gas power plants, hydro power plants, and combined heat and power plants.
Imported flexibility
Import flexibility through interconnections and transmission systems.
Flexible consumption
Such as demand side response, energy storages 3
Shift in time
Demand side flexibility
Energy storage
Curtailment of energy use
Demand response
This research focuses on demand side flexibility

5. Flexibility in a Whole-Energy System Context4
Methodology – Smart community optimization model framework
Energy resources modelling, including:
Energy storages (e.g., battery, thermal energy storage)
Energy generations (e.g., PV, wind)
Energy conversion devices (e.g., HVAC, electric boiler, etc.)
Energy service demand modelling, including:
Heating and cooling demand
Domestic hot water demand
Non-heating electricity demand
Optimisation model:
Minimise operational costs; or
Minimise energy consumption; or
Minimise electricity import/export
𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝒇 𝒙
𝑠.𝑡 𝒙≤𝑩
Energy prices modelling, different price components including:
Network charges
Goods and services tax
Policy costs
Wholesale electricity costs
Environmental parameters, such as
Solar insolation
Wind speed
Temperature
Community operational behavior
Community cash flow
Energy consumptions
Consumers thermal comfort
Carbon dioxide emissions
Etc.
H. Wang, N. Good, and P. Mancarella, "Economic Analysis of Multi-service Provision from PV and Battery Based Community Energy Systems," in ISGT Asia, 2017, in progress.

6. Supervisor: Pierluigi Mancarella
References:
H. Wang, N. Good, and P. Mancarella, "Economic Analysis of Multi-service Provision from PV and Battery Based Community Energy Systems," in ISGT Asia, 2017, in progress.
Media Citations:
Nuclear Power Plant by Dániel Aczél from the Noun Project, download from:
pylon by Viktor Ostrovsky from the Noun Project , download from:
House by Setyo Ari Wibowo from the Noun Project, download from:
Battery by Aneeque Ahmed from the Noun Project , download from:
Freezing Thermometer by KEN MURRAY from the Noun Project , download from:
Boiling Thermometer by KEN MURRAY from the Noun Project , download from:
Shower by María Villamil from the Noun Project , download from:
solar panel by Viktor Ostrovsky from the Noun Project , download from:
air conditioning by alrigel from the Noun Project , download from:
Electric Kettle by joeartcon from the Noun Project , download from:
sun by ruliani from the Noun Project , download from:
Temperature by Adrien Coquet from the Noun Project , download from:
price by Gregor Cresnar from the Noun Project , download from:
Acknowledgements:
Supervisor: Pierluigi Mancarella