Integrated urban energy systems satisfy energy demands in a cost-effective manner by efficiently combining diverse technologies and energy saving strategies. However, the contribution of an individual technology within a complex system is difficult to quantify. This study introduces a generalized “system value” approach to quantify the contribution of an individual design decision towards improving the system design (e.g., achieving a lower cost design). It measures the contribution of an individual technology to the whole system in the range between two benchmarks that respectively represent complete exclusion of the technology and the optimal penetration level. The method is based on a technology-rich Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model for optimal design of urban energy systems. The model considers multi-energy supply technologies, networks, storage technologies and various energy saving strategies. A stochastic formulation is further developed to quantify uncertainties of the system value. The system values of nine kinds of energy supply technologies and three categories of energy-saving strategies are quantified via a case study, which illustrates the variation in the system values for individual technologies with different levels of penetration, and multi-energy supply technologies can have a large impact in integrated systems.

集成的城市能源系统通过有效地结合各种技术和节能策略，以经济高效的方式满足能源需求。但是，很难量化单个技术在复杂系统中的贡献。这项研究引入了一种通用的“系统价值”方法来量化单个设计决策对改善系统设计（例如，实现低成本设计）的贡献。它在两个基准之间的范围内衡量单个技术对整个系统的贡献，这两个基准分别代表了对技术的完全排斥和最佳渗透水平。该方法基于技术丰富的混合整数线性规划（MILP）模型，用于城市能源系统的优化设计。该模型考虑了多种能源供应技术，网络，存储技术和各种节能策略。进一步发展了一种随机公式来量化系统值的不确定性。通过案例分析量化了九种能源供应技术和三类节能策略的系统价值，该案例说明了具有不同渗透水平的单个技术的系统价值的变化，而多能源供应技术可以对集成系统的巨大影响。