Open Access

ARTICLE

Adaptability Analysis of Dual Clearing Systems in Spot Electricity Markets Based on Fuzzy Evaluation Metrics: An Inner Mongolia Case Study

Kai Xie¹, Shaoqing Yuan², Dayun Zou¹, Jinran Wang^1,*, Genjun Chen¹, Ciwei Gao³, Yinghao Cao¹
1 NR Electric Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 210000, China
2 Inner Mongolia Power (Group) Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia, 010000, China
3 Southeast University, Nanjing, 210000, China
* Corresponding Author: Jinran Wang. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Grid Integration of Intermittent Renewable Energy Resources: Technologies, Policies, and Operational Strategies)

Energy Engineering https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.070733

Received 22 July 2025; Accepted 11 September 2025; Published online 15 October 2025

Abstract

The construction of spot electricity markets plays a pivotal role in power system reforms, where market clearing systems profoundly influence market efficiency and security. Current clearing systems predominantly adopt a single-system architecture, with research focusing primarily on accelerating solution algorithms through techniques such as high-efficiency parallel solvers and staggered decomposition of mixed-integer programming models. Notably absent are systematic studies evaluating the adaptability of primary-backup clearing systems in contingency scenarios—a critical gap given redundant systems’ expanding applications in operational environments. This paper proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework for analyzing dual-system adaptability, demonstrated through an in-depth case study of the Inner Mongolia power market. First, we establish the innovative “Dual-Active Heterogeneous” architecture that enables independent parallelized operation and fault-isolated redundancy. Subsequently, key performance indices are quantitatively evaluated across four critical dimensions: unit commitment decisions, generator output constraints, transmission section congestion patterns, and clearing price formation mechanisms. An integrated fuzzy evaluation methodology incorporating grey relational analysis is employed for objective indicator weighting, enabling systematic quantification of system superiority under specific grid operating states. Empirical results based on actual operational data from 200 generation units demonstrate the framework’s efficacy in guiding optimal system selection, with particularly strong performance observed during peak load periods. The proposed approach shows high generalization potential for other regional markets employing redundant clearing mechanisms—particularly those with increasing renewable penetration and associated uncertainty.

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Keywords

Spot electricity markets; dual clearing systems; fuzzy comprehensive evaluation; system adaptability; primary-backup switching

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