Tulipa Energy Model: Mathematical Formulation

TL;DR

The Tulipa Energy Model is a flexible mathematical framework designed to optimize investment and operation decisions in integrated electricity, hydrogen, and heat sectors, considering system-wide benefits and technological diversity.

Contribution

It introduces a general, adaptable optimization formulation that can incorporate various technologies and constraints for integrated energy system planning.

Findings

Provides a flexible, general model for energy system optimization.

Can incorporate new technologies and constraints easily.

Aims to improve system-wide decision-making in energy investments.

Abstract

Tulipa Energy Model aims to optimise the investment and operation of the electricity market, considering its coupling with other sectors, such as hydrogen and heat, that can also be electrified. The problem is analysed from the perspective of a central planner who determines the expansion plan that is most beneficial for the system as a whole, either by maximising social welfare or by minimising total costs. The formulation provides a general description of the objective function and constraints in the optimisation model based on the concept of energy assets representing any element in the model. The model uses subsets and specific methods to determine the constraints that apply to a particular technology or network, allowing more flexibility in the code to consider new technologies and constraints with different levels of detail in the future.