Optimization of a Distributed Cogeneration System with solar district heating

The aim of the paper is to identify the optimal energy production system and its optimal operation strategy required to satisfy the energy demand of a set of users in an industrial area. A distributed energy supply system is made up of a district heating network, a solar thermal plant with long term heat storage, a set of Combined Heat and Power units and conventional components also, such as boilers and compression chillers. In this way the required heat can be produced by solar thermal modules, by natural gas cogenerators, or by conventional boilers. The decision variable set of the optimization procedure includes the sizes of various components, the solar field extension and the thermal energy recovered in the heat storage, while additional binary decision variables describe the existence/absence of each considered component and its on/off operation status.