Optimal Unit Commitment of Integrated Power System with Demand of Medical Oxygen and Renewable Energy Sources

Demand for medical oxygen, primarily driven by respiratory issues leading to low blood oxygen levels, experienced a notable surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oxygen concentrators, essential for treating individuals with low blood oxygen levels, witnessed a substantial increase in demand throughout the pandemic. The widespread usage of oxygen concentrators, both in hospital settings and homes, contributed significantly to heightened electricity demand, prompting a need to investigate its impact on the power system. Impact of power demand of oxygen concentrator on load demand profile of power system and its impact on power generating units as the subsequent rise in total generation cost is investigated in this paper. The study reveals that with increased utilization of oxygen concentrator units, the total load demand in Ottawa, Canada, increased to 40MW on March 30, 2020, coinciding with a 4.8% increase in the total generation cost for the 10 generating unit system. The broad impact of oxygen concentrators on electrical grids, covering aspects of power usage and economic considerations for pandemic situations in the future is investigated thoroughly.