Integration of power to gas and power to heat systems into the electricity grid by the mean of flexibility service for the aggregators

Electricity network is facing growing push to increase Renewable Energy Sources’ (RES) share in total energy production while guaranteeing acceptable quality of service and reliability. The issue is more than just an option and it is in fact the matter of passed legislations and defined targets that leaves no space for reverse steps. The targets however come in conflict where grid de-carbonization and therefore RES share increase in turn bring relative uncertainties and thus electrical system reliability would be penalized. Such challenges have triggered wide range of research projects in favour of RES integration to the electricity grid while keeping reliability high. In the present research work -the goal of the European H2020 Planet project- we study how the union of the mentioned –partially- conflicting targets, opens a promising market for conversion and storage systems, whose assets could come in service for addressing a vast range of problems in the future electricity grid. We will study orienting on non-preliminary form of energy conversion and storage systems like Power to Heat (P2H) and Power to Gas (P2G), and that how those can alleviate critical issues such as Reverse Power Flow, Power Quality and Over Loadings, while de- carbonizing. Although P2G unit isn’t a very recent technology, but its relatively high cost of investment and maintenance, has restricted drastically its usage regardless of its immediate benefits. We analyse these as flexibility providers to the grid operator in the era of Smart Grid, and show how this strategy brings interesting opportunities, for a multi-products asset. In the present paper, we review the technical feasibility and efficient strategies to integrate P2G and P2H systems into the electricity system as flexibility providers to the aggregators, as well as the decision-making support system and ICT service architecture to hosting such functionalities. Finally, we discuss the direct impact of the complex system on reducing RES curtailment, avoiding grid congestion and needs for reinforcement and CO2 emission.