Multi-Objective Decision Support for Industrial Energy System Transformation: Exploring Near-Pareto-Optimal Design Alternatives

Computers & Chemical Engineering, vol. 211, pp. 109653

Abstract

The transformation of industrial energy systems to low-carbon systems is challenging due to conflicting decision-making criteria, overwhelming decision alternatives, and information overload. Multi-objective optimization identifies tradeoffs between conflicting objectives, while methods to explore near-optimal alternatives reveal decision flexibilities. This work combines multi-objective optimization with exploring near-optimal energy system design alternatives to analyze the objective and the design space of energy system design optimization problems. First, we identify Pareto-optimal design alternatives using the augmented epsilon-constraint method. Starting from selected Pareto-optimal design alternatives, we explore near-Pareto-optimal design spaces across the Pareto front using the Modeling All Alternatives method. We quantify the impact of objective relaxation in a sensitivity analysis to offer insights into the tradeoff between design flexibility and Pareto-optimality. To manage decision complexity, we introduce an interactive decision-support tool that enables decision-makers to explore design flexibilities and incorporate additional constraints in real time.

Authors 5

1. Hendrik Schricker Aachen Institute of Technical Thermodynamics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062 Aachen, Germany

2. Conrad Luka Aachen Institute of Technical Thermodynamics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062 Aachen, Germany

3. Christiane Reinert Aachen Institute of Technical Thermodynamics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062 Aachen, Germany

4. Dörthe Franzisca Hagedorn Aachen Institute of Technical Thermodynamics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062 Aachen, Germany

5. Niklas V. von der Assen corresponding Aachen Institute of Technical Thermodynamics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 8, 52062 Aachen, Germany