Multi-vector optimization scheme for distributed components in energy islands

Recent advancements in energy systems, such as the emergence of prosumers and sector coupling approaches, introduce additional flexibilities over multiple energy sectors, such as heating, electricity, and mobility. Due to the complexity of such distributed systems, the optimization of energy allocation is a non-trivial task, especially considering constraints and limitations introduced by distributed devices or sub-systems. Additionally, the variety of devices forces approaches to be highly situational and not universally applicable. In this paper, a two-level optimization scheme is proposed, which aims at reducing the optimization complexity of sector-coupled systems. The multi-vector optimization embedded in the two-level optimization scheme is formulated as a mixed-integer linear problem, optimizing the energy flow between domains, which are modeled as an abstraction of a sector. Distributed devices are modeled as components that represent an abstraction of devices connected to an energy domain. The optimization process is evaluated based on the data from a residential complex in Ghent, Belgium. It shows that the approach is capable of minimizing costs, CO_2 emissions, and dependency on external resources.