NordNET PhD Autumn School: Modeling Energy System Integration and Sustainable Transport

NordNET is organising an autumn school open to all interested PhD students on energy system modelling, focusing on energy system integration and sustainable transport. The school targets PhD students who have a basic understanding of system modelling or wish for an intense introduction to it. During the course, the students will work through the following theories and topics:

• Sector integration in energy system models
• Heat modelling
• Green gases, electrolyser modelling, gas networks and markets
• Energy hubs, conversion technologies, and green fuels
• Modelling transport and the characteristics of transport systems
• Batteries, electric vehicles, and charging infrastructure
• Modelling and assessing market designs, policies, and regulations

The course will end with a field trip. Students are asked to hand in small exercise sheets at the end of each day and can receive a certificate equivalent to 5 ECTS.

The Teachers

• Prof. Anne Neumann (NTNU)
• Prof. Mattia Marinelli (DTU)
• Prof. Mette Bjørndal (NHH)
• Prof. Sonia Yeh (Chalmers)
• Fabian Neumann (TU Berlin)
• Hongyu Zhang (NTNU), Jens Weibezahn (CBS), Johannes Giehl (CBS), Lissy Langer (DTU)

Note: the course is free of charge and includes accommodation (twin rooms, single rooms possible for a surcharge) and meals. Travel to/from Gothenburg must be paid by the student

Application

Apply here for the PhD Autumn School by May 31, 2024. Feedback to applications will be sent out by the end of June.

Schedule

preliminary, subject to change

Monday (21.10.): Energy systems modeling across sectors

Taught by Fabian Neumann (TU Berlin)

• 09:00-12:00 Building an energy system model with a focus on electricity
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
• 13:00-17:00 Sector integration and data for energy system modeling, focus: heat
• 18:30 Dinner

Tuesday (22.10.): Energy Hubs & Market Design

Morning session by Jens Weibezahn and Johannes Giehl (CBS), afternoon session by Mette Bjørndal (NTNU) and Lissy Langer (DTU)

• 09:00-12:00 Energy Hubs (conversion technologies, sector integration, green fuels, etc.)
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
• 13:00-17:00 Market Design Modelling (modeling and assessing market designs, policies, and regulations)
• 16:00-17:00 Exercise Session
• 18:30 Dinner

Wednesday (23.10.): Transportation

Morning session by Sonia Yeh (Chalmers), afternoon session by Mattia Marinelli (DTU Wind)

• 09:00-12:00 Transport: transport sector overview, modeling characteristics of transport systems
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
• 13:00-17:00 Transport: batteries, EVs, charging infrastructure
• 16:00-17:00 Exercise Session
• 18:30 Dinner

Thursday (24.10.): Green Gas Modelling & Excursion

Morning session by Anne Neumann and Hongyu Zhang (NTNU)

• 09:00-12:00 Green gas modeling (green gases, electrolyzer modeling, gas networks & markets, etc.)
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
• 13:00-17:00 Excursion to CampX by Volvo Group
• 18:30 Dinner

Friday (25.10.): Workshop

• 09:00-12:00 Research presentations by NordNET researchers
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
• 13:00-15:30 Research presentations by NordNET researchers (ctd.)

Lecture Description

Energy System Modelling across Sectors 
The first half of the day will focus on learning how to build an energy system model from scratch. Initially, we will build a simplified electricity system planning model with different fundamental components of future power systems with high shares of variable wind and solar electricity supply, including different types of time-varying and dispatchable generation and storage technologies like battery and hydrogen storage.
In the second half of the day, we will expand the electricity-focused capacity expansion model with data from other sectors. This will cover demands from the transport, heating, and industry sectors, as well as the modeling of the various technology options that couple the sector to the electricity system. We will learn how different power-to-X and demand-side management options work towards integrating renewable electricity.
For the examples and integrated exercises, the open-source energy system modeling framework PyPSA (Python for Power System Analysis) will be used.

Energy Hubs
This lecture will provide details on the technologies and concepts necessary to include energy hubs, the related conversion processes, and interdependencies between the sectors into the larger model presented on the first day. We will discuss the characteristics of hydrogen and green fuel production and their relevance for system modeling. Further, we will discuss processes in energy hubs and critical links that need to be included in system modeling to reflect the influential drivers of decarbonizing all sectors.

Market Design
[TBA]

Transportation Sector

This lecture has three parts: (1) Transport modeling: The basics – Part I will introduce transport modeling challenges associated with projecting transitions. We will start with basic, standard modeling techniques: e.g. linear optimization, stock turnover models, etc that project technology based on exogenous demand. We will introduce how demands are projected and how decisions on technology adoptions are made. Then we will discuss the existing gaps and new challenges associated with modeling transformative changes using the traditional models. (2) Transport modeling: Consumer choice – Part II will introduce choice modeling and the methods of combining a choice model within a linear optimization model. (3) Transport modeling: Electrification and Big Data – Part III discusses the latest research on modeling the impacts of electrification of the transport sector on investments and operation decisions in the electricity system. The intention is to show how the modeling of the integration of the electric and the transport sectors can be improved, and shall not be considered as definite findings. We will also (very) briefly introduce some of the latest research on using big data to understand the spatial and temporal patterns of transportation demand and modeling efforts.

Transportation Technologies
The module focuses on e-mobility technologies and integration in the electrical grid. Electric vehicles (drivetrain and battery technologies, onboard chargers, and charging standards are discussed. Challenges and opportunities for grid integration of mobility assets are presented with examples considering, charging capabilities, grid characteristics, user behavior, and smart charging strategies. Examples from research projects and common discussions will conclude the module.
Learning outcomes: Explain the fundamentals of EVs and chargers, discuss grid integration challenges, and perform power and energy calculations.

Green Gas Modelling
In this lecture, we focus on the modeling of integrated energy systems planning and solution algorithms for large-scale stochastic programs. On the application side, we study two energy system planning models: REORIENT and EMPIRE. The objective of this is to learn how to (1) model multi-timescale uncertainty in long-term energy system planning problems, (2) model multi-carrier energy systems, including power, natural gas, hydrogen, and CCS systems, and (3) integrate investment, retrofit, and abandonment decisions in an energy system planning model. On the methodology side, we focus on state-of-the-art solution algorithms for multi-horizon stochastic programming, a type of multi-stage stochastic programming with block separable recourse. We study how to exploit the structure of such a program and develop decomposition algorithms to solve large-scale energy system planning problems under multi-timescale uncertainty.

More information

Please contact enerforsk@cbs.dk if you have any further questions.