IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orinte/v53y2023i4p247-265.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

North Carolina Water Utility Builds Resilience with Distributed Energy Resources

Author

Listed:
  • Kate Anderson

    (Advanced Energy Systems Program, Colorado School of Mines and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401)

  • James Grymes

    (Operations Research with Engineering Graduate Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401)

  • Alexandra Newman

    (Operations Research with Engineering Graduate Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401)

  • Adam Warren

    (Advanced Energy Systems Program, Colorado School of Mines and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401)

Abstract

As the frequency and duration of grid outages increase, backup power systems are becoming more important for ensuring that critical infrastructure continues to provide essential services. Most facilities rely on diesel generators, which may be ineffective during long outages owing to limited fuel supplies and high generator failure rates. Distributed energy resources such as solar, storage, and combined-heat-and-power systems, coupled with on-site biofuel production, offer an alternative source of on-site generation that can provide both cost savings and resilience (i.e., the ability to respond to catastrophic events with longer-term consequences). A mixed-integer linear program minimizes costs and maximizes resilience at a wastewater treatment plant in Wilmington, North Carolina. We find that the plant can reduce life-cycle energy costs by 3.1% through the installation of a hybrid combined-heat-and-power, photovoltaic, and storage system. When paired with existing diesel generators, this system can sustain full load for seven days while saving $664,000 over 25 years and reducing diesel fuel use by 48% compared with the diesel-only solution. This analysis informed a decision by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to allocate funds for the implementation of a combined-heat-and-power system at the wastewater treatment plant in fiscal year 2023. The benefits of deploying hybrid combined-heat-and-power technologies and the utilization of on-site biofuel production extend, on a national scale, to thousands of wastewater treatment facilities and other types of critical infrastructure.

Suggested Citation

  • Kate Anderson & James Grymes & Alexandra Newman & Adam Warren, 2023. "North Carolina Water Utility Builds Resilience with Distributed Energy Resources," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 53(4), pages 247-265, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:53:y:2023:i:4:p:247-265
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.2022.1136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.2022.1136
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/inte.2022.1136?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amelia McIlvenna & Jim Ostrowski & Andrew Herron & Daniel King & Philip Irminger & Joshua Hambrick & Ben Ollis, 2020. "Practice Summary: Improved Reliability via Optimization in Residential Microgrids," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 50(2), pages 112-118, March.
    2. Kang, Lixia & Liu, Yongzhong, 2015. "Multi-objective optimization on a heat exchanger network retrofit with a heat pump and analysis of CO2 emissions control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 696-708.
    3. S. Revollar & R. Vilanova & P. Vega & M. Francisco & M. Meneses, 2020. "Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation: Simple Control Schemes with a Holistic Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-28, January.
    4. Madeleine Udell & Oliver Toole, 2019. "Optimal Design of Efficient Rooftop Photovoltaic Arrays," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 281-294, July.
    5. Zhang, Di & Evangelisti, Sara & Lettieri, Paola & Papageorgiou, Lazaros G., 2015. "Optimal design of CHP-based microgrids: Multiobjective optimisation and life cycle assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 181-193.
    6. Theo, Wai Lip & Lim, Jeng Shiun & Ho, Wai Shin & Hashim, Haslenda & Lee, Chew Tin, 2017. "Review of distributed generation (DG) system planning and optimisation techniques: Comparison of numerical and mathematical modelling methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 531-573.
    7. Kate Anderson & Nicholas D. Laws & Spencer Marr & Lars Lisell & Tony Jimenez & Tria Case & Xiangkun Li & Dag Lohmann & Dylan Cutler, 2018. "Quantifying and Monetizing Renewable Energy Resiliency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, March.
    8. Srinivas Bollapragada & Brandon Owens & Steve Taub, 2011. "Practice Summaries: An Optimization Model to Support Renewable Energy Investment Decisions," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 41(4), pages 394-395, August.
    9. Martina Fischetti & Jesper Runge Kristoffersen & Thomas Hjort & Michele Monaci & David Pisinger, 2020. "Vattenfall Optimizes Offshore Wind Farm Design," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 50(1), pages 80-94, January.
    10. Fant, Charles & Boehlert, Brent & Strzepek, Kenneth & Larsen, Peter & White, Alisa & Gulati, Sahil & Li, Yue & Martinich, Jeremy, 2020. "Climate change impacts and costs to U.S. electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    11. Alexander Zadorojniy & Segev Wasserkrug & Sergey Zeltyn & Vladimir Lipets, 2019. "Unleashing Analytics to Reduce Costs and Improve Quality in Wastewater Treatment," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 262-268, July.
    12. Zheng, J.H. & Chen, J.J. & Wu, Q.H. & Jing, Z.X., 2015. "Multi-objective optimization and decision making for power dispatch of a large-scale integrated energy system with distributed DHCs embedded," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 369-379.
    13. Wu, Qiong & Ren, Hongbo & Gao, Weijun & Ren, Jianxing, 2016. "Multi-objective optimization of a distributed energy network integrated with heating interchange," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 353-364.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Zhiqiang & Cui, Yanping & Wang, Jiaqiang & Yue, Chang & Agbodjan, Yawovi Souley & Yang, Yu, 2022. "Multi-objective optimization of multi-energy complementary integrated energy systems considering load prediction and renewable energy production uncertainties," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    2. Wu, Qiong & Ren, Hongbo & Gao, Weijun & Ren, Jianxing, 2016. "Multi-objective optimization of a distributed energy network integrated with heating interchange," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 353-364.
    3. Theo, Wai Lip & Lim, Jeng Shiun & Ho, Wai Shin & Hashim, Haslenda & Lee, Chew Tin, 2017. "Review of distributed generation (DG) system planning and optimisation techniques: Comparison of numerical and mathematical modelling methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 531-573.
    4. Urban, Kristof L. & Scheller, Fabian & Bruckner, Thomas, 2021. "Suitability assessment of models in the industrial energy system design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Xiang, Liu, 2017. "Energy network dispatch optimization under emergency of local energy shortage with web tool for automatic large group decision-making," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 740-750.
    6. Yuness Badiei & Josue Campos do Prado, 2023. "Analyzing the Impact of Electricity Rates on the Feasibility of Solar PV and Energy Storage Systems in Commercial Buildings: Financial vs. Resilience Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.
    7. Wang, Yongli & Wang, Yudong & Huang, Yujing & Yang, Jiale & Ma, Yuze & Yu, Haiyang & Zeng, Ming & Zhang, Fuwei & Zhang, Yanfu, 2019. "Operation optimization of regional integrated energy system based on the modeling of electricity-thermal-natural gas network," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    8. Ali A. Radwan & Ahmed A. Zaki Diab & Abo-Hashima M. Elsayed & Hassan Haes Alhelou & Pierluigi Siano, 2020. "Active Distribution Network Modeling for Enhancing Sustainable Power System Performance; a Case Study in Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-22, October.
    9. Abbas Hamze & Yassine Ouazene & Nazir Chebbo & Imane Maatouk, 2019. "Multisources of Energy Contracting Strategy with an Ecofriendly Factor and Demand Uncertainties," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-24, October.
    10. Da Li & Shijie Zhang & Yunhan Xiao, 2020. "Interval Optimization-Based Optimal Design of Distributed Energy Resource Systems under Uncertainties," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, July.
    11. Nasreddine Belbachir & Mohamed Zellagui & Samir Settoul & Claude Ziad El-Bayeh & Ragab A. El-Sehiemy, 2023. "Multi Dimension-Based Optimal Allocation of Uncertain Renewable Distributed Generation Outputs with Seasonal Source-Load Power Uncertainties in Electrical Distribution Network Using Marine Predator Al," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-24, February.
    12. Wang, Lixiao & Jing, Z.X. & Zheng, J.H. & Wu, Q.H. & Wei, Feng, 2018. "Decentralized optimization of coordinated electrical and thermal generations in hierarchical integrated energy systems considering competitive individuals," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 607-622.
    13. Huang, Jinbo & Li, Zhigang & Wu, Q.H., 2017. "Coordinated dispatch of electric power and district heating networks: A decentralized solution using optimality condition decomposition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1508-1522.
    14. Konečná, Eva & Teng, Sin Yong & Máša, Vítězslav, 2020. "New insights into the potential of the gas microturbine in microgrids and industrial applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    15. Bhowmik, Chiranjib & Bhowmik, Sumit & Ray, Amitava & Pandey, Krishna Murari, 2017. "Optimal green energy planning for sustainable development: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 796-813.
    16. Xiaohua Song & Yun Long & Zhongfu Tan & Xubei Zhang & Leming Li, 2016. "The Optimization of Distributed Photovoltaic Comprehensive Efficiency Based on the Construction of Regional Integrated Energy Management System in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-19, November.
    17. Cazzaro, Davide & Fischetti, Martina & Fischetti, Matteo, 2020. "Heuristic algorithms for the Wind Farm Cable Routing problem," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    18. Zhou, Yuekuan & Cao, Sunliang & Hensen, Jan L.M., 2021. "An energy paradigm transition framework from negative towards positive district energy sharing networks—Battery cycling aging, advanced battery management strategies, flexible vehicles-to-buildings in," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    19. Giulietti, Monica & Le Coq, Chloé & Willems, Bert & Anaya, Karim, 2019. "Smart Consumers in the Internet of Energy : Flexibility Markets & Services from Distributed Energy Resources," Other publications TiSEM 2edb43b5-bbd6-487d-abdf-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    20. Da Liu & Kun Sun & Han Huang & Pingzhou Tang, 2018. "Monthly Load Forecasting Based on Economic Data by Decomposition Integration Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-22, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:53:y:2023:i:4:p:247-265. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.