Optimization and Dispatch Strategy for Wind-Gas-Storage Virtual Power Plants Based on Time-of-Use Electricity Pricing
The intermittent and stochastic nature of wind power imposes operational challenges on grid security. This study investigates a wind-gas-storage virtual power plant (VPP) integrated with an electric boiler, thermal storage tank, and lithium bromide heat pump to establish an electricity-heat bidirectional decoupling architecture. A bi-level day-ahead and intra-day collaborative optimization dispatch model driven by time-of-use (TOU) electricity pricing is proposed. The upper level maximizes day-ahead net revenue by formulating dispatch schedules based on wind power and thermal load forecasts. The lower level minimizes intra-day real-time operational costs by dynamically adjusting unit outputs according to real-time data. Results demonstrate that the VPP output precisely tracks the day-ahead declared schedule, with intra-day output deviations ranging from -37.8 to 64.0 MW, significantly smaller than wind power forecast deviations, thereby reducing penalty costs. Energy storage systems shift energy through valley-period charging and peak-period discharging, optimizing gas turbine operation and enhancing economic benefits. Battery storage capacity growth has a marginal effect on net profit improvement, while thermal storage capacity beyond 500 MW·h yields diminishing net profit growth.