1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to energy plant optimization and, more specifically, to a system and method for energy plant optimization using mixed integer-linear programming.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Large-scale commercial buildings such as skyscrapers and industrial buildings such as factories have large and complex energy generation and utilization needs. These needs include chilled water, chilled air, hot water, hot air, electrical loads, and the like. To meet these complex energy generation and utilization needs, these buildings, referred to herein as energy plants or simply plants, may include a large number of devices that utilize energy, generate energy, and/or store energy, for example, to provide for the plant's heating, cooling and electricity needs. These devices are referred to herein as energy devices and include devices that utilize energy such as water chillers, air conditioners, water heaters, and devices that utilize plant electricity. Energy devices may also include devices that generate energy such as fossil fuel-powered electrical generators, geothermal systems, solar collectors and photovoltaic cells. Energy devices may also include devices that store energy for later use such as thermal energy storage devices, batteries and the like.
Conventionally, energy systems may be activated and deactivated as needed. For example, a water chiller may activate when there is a need for chilled water and an air conditioner may activate when there is a need for cool air. However, as a plant may include a great number of energy devices, it is possible and in fact probable that many such devices expend energy to work against each other and operate in a less than ideal fashion.
Suboptimal plant energy generation, storage and usage may lead to excessive costs, unnecessarily large environmental impact, overtaxing of energy grids, and difficulty in complying with present and proposed governmental regulations.