Integration of heat pump and gas turbine combined cycle: Market and climatic conditions for power plant flexibility enhancement

The increasing share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources (RES), with the consequent strong penetration in the current energy network, is causing a growing need of balancing power to compensate power supply from such fluctuating sources. For these reasons, nowadays the power plants are requested to improve their operational flexibility, together with their global efficiency in part-load operation, for ancillary services and to sustain the grid operability. A possible solution for flexibility enhancement is characterized by a highly efficient heat pump integrated in a conventional natural gas combined cycle (CC). Such concept can be applied both to power oriented combined cycle (POCC), to modify the compressor intake temperature with a consequent increase or decrease of the power production, and both to cogeneration CC in association with District Heating Network (DHN). In this work, a statistical analysis of climatic data and their correlations with energy market condition will be performed considering Italian context, to understand which the more suitable conditions for such integrated system are. The analysis will be performed on seasonal and daily basis. The final aim of this work is to identify how such integrated system can be operated at its best in the different Italian markets and climatic frames.