A Medium Term Simulation Tool for the Integrated Gas and Power Systems – The Mathematical Formulation and an Application to a 2030 Italian Scenario

The present work introduces the mathematical formulation of a new medium term simulation tool for the integrated power and gas systems. Such a tool is essential to properly study the increase in interaction between the energy systems that will result from the installation of power-to-gas units, which thanks to their flexibility are expected to help the power system in facing the drawbacks coming from the increase of penetration of non-programmable renewable sources. Power-to-gas devices consume electricity to produce hydrogen by means of electrolysis and, by the methanation process, which consumes also CO2, synthetic methane can be obtained, to be injected in the gas system. A test-case scenario for the Italian 2030 power and gas systems has been defined with the main purpose of showing the features of the new simulation tool.