23-10 New Frontiers and Challenges in Polygeneration Grids (Tutorial Session)

\ua0the proposed tutorial would like to highlight the potential of polygeneration in the sustainable energy development, as well as associated challenges. In details, the first attempt of the tutorial is to introduce the concept of a polygeneration grid and its main characteristics. Once defined the framework, the role of renewable energies and associated issues, with particular interest to non-programmable sources (such as solar and wind) will be discussed. To accommodate the presence of non-programmable renewables and their intermittent and unreliable nature, storage devices and energy carriers are fundamentals. Both state-of-art and innovative storage technologies will be sort throughout the tutorial. As innovative and promising way to convert electrical power into gaseous energy carriers, the Power-to-Gas (P2G) system will be discussed. In particular, the P2G process links the power grid with the gas grid by converting surplus power into a grid compatible gas via a two-step process: hydrogen production by water electrolysis and its conversion with an external CO2 source to CH4 via methanation. The synthetic fuel generated can be used as a substitute for natural gas or other fossil fuels in a diverse range of applications (e.g. in the industry, mobility and heating sectors and also for electricity generation). Focusing on thermal aspect, Smart District Heating concept will also play an important role by developing future smart energy integrating systems. In the current energy scenario, indeed, it is important to consider a possible integration between networks and distributed generation systems \u2013 i.e to realize a bidirectional energy flux at the utilities, replying the concept of electrical smart grid in the thermal energy field. To this purpose, several thermal energy distributed generation systems, such as solar thermal panels or micro-Combined Heat and Power (micro-CHP) generators, can be considered. In this context, the users substations structure and the network management play a fundamental role, as will be discussed during the tutorial. Finally, another central aspect that characterizes multi-input/multi-output energy grids, that will be stressed and discussed during the tutorial, is the optimal load allocation. Indeed, the coupling of various generation technologies, operating with different performance both at design and off-design conditions, requires a proper optimal management strategy since different mix of production can meet the user demand (electrical, thermal and cooling). The operational management has to follow a strategy aiming at some objective like maximization of renewable energy share, minimization of operational cost, minimization of environmental emission etc. Thus, focusing on this issue, an introduction on optimal load allocation techniques (such as genetic algorithm, mixed integer linear programming etc.) is presented