Power system economic dispatch under low-carbon economy with carbon capture plants considered

Developing a low-carbon power system is critical and fundamental to cope with the challenges of global warming, in which the carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology will play a key role. In this study, the characteristics of energy flow and operation of carbon capture plants (CCPs) are clarified, while the mutual constraint between total generation output of CCPs and operation power consumption of carbon capture system is analysed. Then a generation output model and the optimal dispatch principle of CCPs is established, which can identify how the amount of carbon captured can represent a premium payment that can offset the increase in costs caused by the reduction on power output due to the CCS. On this basis, what with the low-carbon economy factors, a economic power dispatch model under low-carbon economy with CCPs considered is proposed. With the generation fuel cost and carbon emission cost incorporated in the objective function, the model proposed can effectively evaluate the power dispatch problem under low-carbon economy. Studies of the economic power dispatch of the 3-unit, 26-unit and 54-unit test systems show that the model proposed is effective and practical.