Optimal design of residential cogeneration systems under uncertainty

• It is presented the optimal design of domestic cogeneration systems.
• The model accounts for the involved uncertainty.
• The financial and environmental risks are evaluated through Pareto curves.
• A case study for a residential complex of Mexico is presented.
• Results show that is possible to obtain robust solutions.

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization method for designing cogeneration systems in residential complexes and accounting for the involved uncertainty. The model accounts for satisfying the hot water and electric energy demands in a residential complex, while minimizing the total annual cost and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed model incorporates uncertain data for the ambient temperature, energy demands and prices of the local energy market, which are predicted through forecasting methods for determining the financial and environmental risks. Furthermore, the model accounts for determining the type and size of the central cogeneration unit, thermal storage unit, the needed auxiliary units, as well as the operating conditions. A housing complex in central Mexico is presented as case study. The results show significant economic and environmental benefits for the implementation of the proposed scheme as well as the importance of accounting for the involved uncertainty.