Network reduction methods for integrated energy systems using power grids and gas pipelines

Against the background of the need for a rapid decarbonization towards a climate-neutral energy system, green hydrogen and methane are taking up an increasingly important role. Two of the driving factors are the need for seasonal energy storage solutions and the emission reduction of applications where direct electrification is difficult to achieve. To better understand challenges and solutions in the transformation of infrastructures, energy system optimization models are a useful tool. In these models, an adequate representation of the corresponding infrastructure across different spatial resolutions is a prerequisite for deriving recommendations on future network expansion. To this end, we compare different grid reduction methods for a joint network of power grid and gas pipelines. In this context, clustering methods such as k-medoids and graph partitioning methods are considered. One of the main challenges during the reduction is maintaining spatial information about key infrastructure such as import terminals, cavern storage, and optimal locations for large-scale electrolysis and gas turbines. To analyse the impact of different reduction methods on the results of the overall energy system model, in this presentation the comparison is performed for two scenarios focusing on a high share of imported energy carriers and distributed and domestic generation, respectively. Thus, a well-suited grid reduction method is identified for a wide range of future energy systems