Influence of Adaptive Coupling Points on Coalition Formation in Multi-Energy Systems

Abstract

The share and variants of coupling points (CPs) between different energy carrier networks (such as the gas or power grids) are increasing, which results in the necessity of the analysis of so-called multi-energy systems (MES). One approach is to consider the MES as a graph network, in which coupling points are modeled as edges with energy efficiency as weight. On such a network, local coalitions can be formed using multi-agent systems leading to a dynamic graph partitioning, which can be a prerequisite for the efficient decentralized system operation. However, the graph can not be considered static, as the energy units representing CPs can shut down, leading to network decoupling and affecting graph partitions. This paper aims to evaluate the effect of network adaptivity on the dynamics of an exemplary coalition formation approach from a complex network point of view using a case study of a benchmark power network extended to an MES. This study shows: first, the feasibility of complex network modeling of MES as a cyber-physical system; second, how the coalition formation system behaves, how the coupling points impact this system, and how these impact metrics relate to the CP node attributes.