On the smart coordination of flexibility scheduling in multi-carrier integrated energy systems

Coordinating the interactions among flexibility assets in multi-carrier integrated energy systems (MIES) can lead to a cost-efficient energy transition. However, the proliferation of flexibility assets and their growing participation in active demand response increases the complexity of coordinating these interactions. This paper investigates several approaches to model the coordination of flexibility scheduling in MIES with many autonomous flexibility providers. We propose runtime model coupling as an alternative modeling paradigm to overcome the limitations of monolithic centralized co-optimization. Specifically, we introduced two model coupling approaches—a distributed price-response and a decentralized market auction approach—to address practical challenges such as preserving the autonomy and privacy of flexibility providers while ensuring scalability. We conduct a quantitative benchmark of these approaches against co-optimization across varying problem sizes, complexities, and computing infrastructures. This benchmark provides new empirical insights into the trade-offs between optimality, autonomy, and scalability that have so far remained unquantified in the energy system literature. We show that model coupling offers a method to balance optimality and realism (autonomy and privacy) while delivering substantial scalability gains. The proposed model coupling approaches are formalized as open-source software with several practical applications: modelers can experiment with different flexibility modeling approaches and choose the one that best matches their modeling objectives and constraints; flexibility providers can couple their models to simulate interactions between their systems to make informed operational decisions without disclosing any confidential information.