3.1. Continuous Power Plants
Continuous power plants produce electricity in a largely
steady manner by employing constantly accessible energy
sources that are not subject to volatility in their amount. Such
energy sources can be stored in reservoirs or else their supply
is bound by a contract. Important continuous power plants are
for example block heat power plants, gas-fired or coal-fired
power plants, and power plants using cogeneration of heat and
power [2]. Continuous power plants show a constant
operation, they have constant key performance indicators
(KPIs), which are valid for both the long-term and the shortterm
planning. By offering this precise information about their
production of energy, the power plants allow for planning
well in advance. Continuous power plants usually have an
optimum operating point at which they achieve the best
efficiency factor. The amount of energy produced at this point
is measured in kWh and is to be embedded into the production
planning and control system. However, the power plants
remain controllable, i.e. their operation can be accelerated as
well as decelerated, depending on the current power demand.
Hence, apart from the optimum operating point, they have a
maximum and a minimum performance indicator [8], the
latter of which is the result of the power plant’s deceleration.
The production planning and control must be aware of this
controllability, in order to demonstrate the production
engineers their scope of action.