Application of a Multiple Time-Scale Rolling Horizon Optimization Technique for Improved Load-Following of an Integrated SOFC/CAES Plant with Zero Emissions

In this work, a two-stage rolling horizon optimization (RHO) framework is formulated and applied to a SOFC/CAES integrated power plant to achieve optimal year-round peaking power with zero emissions. The two-stage RHO exploits the modular nature of the upstream SOFC power island to make safe and reliable changes to the plant’s nominal operating point to follow seasonal demand trends in the first stage, and uses the CAES system to match hourly fluctuations in demand. Results for a simulated year using historical demand data show that the two-stage RHO improves load-following by as much as 90% as measured by the integrated squared error between supply and demand.