Multi-objective optimization of hydrothermal energy system considering economic and environmental aspects

Along with continuous global warming, the environmental problems, besides the economic objective, are expected to play more and more important role in the operation of hydrothermal power system. In this paper, the short-term multi-objective economic environmental hydrothermal scheduling (MEEHS) model is developed to analyze the operating approach of MEEHS problem, which simultaneously optimize energy cost as well as the pollutant emission effects. Meanwhile, transmission line losses among generation units, valve-point loading effects of thermal units and water transport delay between hydraulic connected reservoirs are taken into consideration in the problem formulation. In order to solve MEEHS problem, a new multi-objective cultural algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (MOCA-PSO) is presented in way of combining the cultural algorithm framework with particle swarm optimization (PSO) to carry though the evolution of population space. Furthermore, an effective constrain handling method is proposed to handle the operational constraints of MEEHS problem. The proposed method is applied to a hydrothermal power system consisting of four hydro plants and three thermal units for the case studies. Compared with several previous methods, the simulation solutions of MOCA-PSO with smaller fuel cost and lower emission effects proves that it can be an alternative method to deal with MEEHS problems. The obtained results demonstrate that the change of optimization objective leads to the shift of optimal operation schedules. Finally, the scheduling results of MEEHS problem offer enough choices to the decision makers. Thus, the operation with better performance of environment is achieved by more energy system cost.

► A MEEHS model is developed to analyze the operation of hydrothermal power system.
► Line losses, valve-point loading effects and water transport delay are in view.
► A hybrid multi-objective cultural algorithm is proposed to solve MEEHS problem.
► The simulation results have smaller fuel cost and lower emission effects.
► Operation with performance of environment should pay more for energy system cost.