Renewable photovoltaic-thermal combined heat and power allocation optimization in radial and meshed integrated heat and electricity distribution networks with storages based on newly developed hybrid shuffled frog leaping algorithm

Benefiting from favorable operational efficiencies, photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) technology is considered as a viable alternative for combined heat and power (CHP) distributed generation; however, the realization of a full economic profit requires allocation optimization in terms of placement and size in integrated heat and electricity distribution networks. Also, the inability for dispatching renewable PVT requires considerations of heat and electricity storages. Further, the concerns with uncertainties in heat and electricity loads and uncertainties associated with solar irradiation for PVT-CHP must be addressed. The goal of this study is to develop a simulation model for allocation optimization of PVT-CHP as well as storages in radial and meshed integrated heat and electricity distribution networks considering growth in loads and prices, in addition to uncertainties, where the distribution company's (DisCo's) yearly economic profit from the employment of renewable PVT-CHP units is maximized over a long-term operation horizon. To enhance the utilization of PVT-CHP, electric heat pumps (EHPs) are used as links for the integration of heat and electricity distribution networks. For optimization, a newly developed hybrid shuffled frog leaping algorithm is proposed and validated in terms of accuracy and speed. The simulation results show that the DisCo's yearly economic profit is highly dependent on the allocation of PVT-CHP units, storages, EHPs, and the type of distribution network. Published by AIP Publishing.