Description and illustration of the processes and methods for the determination of technical capacity
It is primarily the following information which is used to determine the technical capacity of entry and exit points:
- the topological information about the network, in particular the nominal diameter, length and pipe roughness of the individual pipeline sections, the performance parameters of the entry and exit stations as well as stations connecting networks and the design pressures of the installed components
- the contractual framework conditions for network coupling and network connection points as well as technical requirements for stations connecting networks, in particular the contractual and technical maximum and minimum pressures
- the gas composition parameters at entry points
The contractual agreements regarding already marketed entry and exit capacities (capacity contracts) as well as contractually agreements in network coupling and network connection contracts/storage connection contracts. Furthermore, the requirements of biogas entry points are to be taken into consideration.
Evaluations of the consumption behaviour of connected/downstream consumers are created for all exit points in order to develop temperature-based load scenarios for the networks or subnetworks.
The load scenarios are compared with the entry scenarios under the premise of a balanced network (entry equal to exit), i.e. entry capacities are initially defined on the basis of the performance capability of the entry stations or by contractual agreements and the use of the entry capacities varies within the framework of the existing flexibility.
All contractual pressure framework conditions as well as work areas of compressor stations, gas pressure regulator stations and gas metering stations for the combinations of entry and exit scenarios are reviewed using pipe network analysis. As long as none of these framework conditions are violated, the defined entry and exit capacity can be accepted and marketed as a fixed technical capacity at the respective points. In the event of a violation of the aforementioned framework conditions, the capacity must be reduced enough at appropriate locations that there is compliance with the framework conditions. Marketed capacities are normally not to be reduced for this.
In the event of requests for new or additional technical capacity, this process is repeated while taking into consideration the prioritisations for biogas and gas power plants, stores and production facilities specified by the Gas Network Access Ordinance (GasNZV), whereby free technical capacities for entry and exit points are sensibly redistributed where possible in order to satisfy the requests. If the demand cannot be met within the framework of the existing infrastructure then, taking the efficiency requirements into consideration, suitable expansion measures are planned and, if economically reasonable, implemented.