A modeler's guide to handle complexity in energy systems optimization
Advances in Applied Energy, vol. 4, pp. 100063
Abstract
Determining environmentally- and economically-optimal energy systems designs and operations is complex. In particular, the integration of weather-dependent renewable energy technologies into energy system optimization models presents new challenges to computational tractability that cannot only be solved by advancements in computational resources. In consequence, energy system modelers must tackle the complexity of their models by applying various methods to manipulate the underlying data and model structure, with the ultimate goal of finding optimal solutions. As which complexity reduction method is suitable for which research question is often unclear, herein we review different approaches for handling complexity. We first analyze the determinants of complexity and note that many drivers of complexity could be avoided a priori with a tailored model design. Second, we conduct a review of systematic complexity reduction methods for energy system optimization models, which can range from simple linearization performed by modelers to sophisticated multi-level approaches combining aggregation and decomposition methods. Based on this overview, we develop a guide for energy system modelers who encounter computational limitations.
Authors 13
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Leander Kotzur corresponding
Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
Forschungszentrum Julich
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Lars Nolting Aachen Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE) Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior E.ON Energy Research Center
Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE), Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior, E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Mathieustrasse 10, 52074 Aachen, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · Jülich Supercomputing Centre
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Advanced Simulation – Jülich Supercomputing Centre (IAS-JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Jan Priesmann Aachen Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE) Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior E.ON Energy Research Center
Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE), Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior, E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Mathieustrasse 10, 52074 Aachen, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · Jülich Supercomputing Centre
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Advanced Simulation – Jülich Supercomputing Centre (IAS-JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Affiliation as printed
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Mathematics, Cauerstr. 11, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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Aaron Praktiknjo Aachen Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE) Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior E.ON Energy Research Center
Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair for Energy System Economics (FCN-ESE), Institute for Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior, E.ON Energy Research Center, RWTH Aachen University, Mathieustrasse 10, 52074 Aachen, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Chair of fuel cells, RWTH Aachen University, c/o Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3) , Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Techno-economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., D-52428, Germany
JARA-ENERGY, Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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