ELTRIX EG Module

Kalkitech's ELTRIX Economic Generation module provides a suite of off-the-shelf decision models which can be used for different types of market scenarios. It also allows for new decision models to be built for economic generation. The sub-components available as parts of Economic Generation are Merit Order Rating (MOR) and Unit Commitment.

Overview

Operating a power plant efficiently at different plant loads presents numerous challenges, irrespective of the fuel type.  Equipment efficiency deteriorates over a period of time, auxiliary equipment consume more energy, and fuel costs and quality vary based on demand and availability.  As a result, the efficiency of power generating plants deviates from the original design values. The central objective of plant operations is to manage the plant efficiently and economically in the face of all these constraints. Economic Generation can target various objectives such as profit maximization and cost minimization depending on market dynamics, regulatory framework, and the demand-supply gap that exists – among generation units situated in a single location, or distributed across a wide area.

Benefits

ELTRIX's Economic Generation decision models provide some benefits of cost minimization or profit maximization. These models can be customized further to extend the scale of these benefits.

ELTRIX Merit Order Rating (MOR) is based on the fact that every generating unit has its own operating characteristics, shut down and startup costs, total cost of generation and plant efficiency.  When many such generating units are grouped together for scheduling or Automatic Generation Control (AGC), there exists a huge opportunity to keep overall cost of generation for the group of units to a minimum, by achieving an optimal allocation amongst the units, while still meeting schedule requirements.  In case of an Automatic Generation Control function, a ramp up or ramp down of generation is done keeping the incremental cost of generation at the optimal value possible, amongst the various generating units within the group.  A Merit Order Rating can be done for the day ahead and day of operation, with a granularity to time blocks for which generation is scheduled. MOR models can be used for capacity declaration and planning as well as for real-time generation control.  Various constraints such as equipment maintenance and unit shutdowns, auxiliary failures, ramp up/ ramp down constraints, and emission constraints are taken into account, proving an output for Economic Load Dispatch.

ELTRIX Unit Commitment Model is used for planning optimal use of generating resources based on the forecasts available.  A generating unit's start-up cost, operational cost, shutdown cost, spinning reserve needs, emission constraints are the key decision variables considered for committing a particular unit for generation.  A Unit Commitment model takes input from a forecasting model.  The output of the Unit Commitment model can be given to Merit Order Rating model.

Features

• Eltrix model builder enables cost models to be built for generating units and allows grouping under common AGC function using simple drag-drop operations.  These models can be linked with plant equipment and connectivity models.
• Economic Dispatch model complies with IEC-61970 Common Information Models  for exchanging information with third party systems
• Option for uploading plant cost data and curve fitting from external systems.
• Integration options with maintenance management systems for plant shutdown/maintenance system. In case of no-maintenance management, operator can enter maintenance plans from the Eltrix web portal
• Status of auxiliary equipment is updated on a real-time basis from plant Distributed Control Systems (DCS) or DAS systems
• Dynamic fitting of Plant Cost Curves and Heat Rate curves
• Off-the-shelf decision models for Merit Order Rating, Unit Commitment and Unscheduled Interchange (UI) maximization available.
• Support for standard commercially available solvers to ensure global optimal points like CPLEX, MOSEK and CONOPT
• Unit wise schedules available in various reporting formats.
• Web services based integration with Fuel Management Systems for accessing fuel properties and fuel schedules