Getting linear energy system models ready for High Performance Computing

Abstract

State-of-the-art energy system models include a comprehensive representation of energy sectors and their associated technologies while including high resolution spatial and temporal data. This complexity is increased further by technologies linking the system along temporal, spatial and sectoral dimensions such as electrical energy storages, transmission grids or combine heat and power plants. One of the downsides of the increasing detail in optimising energy system models is the necessary time to solve the model. The BEAM-ME project addresses the need for efficient solution strategies for the increasing complexity of energy system models and. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy and brings together researchers from the fields of energy system analysis, mathematics, operations research and informatics. The goal of the project is to develop technical and conceptual strategies for every step of the solution process. This the formulation of the energy system model, improving the solvers and utilising the resources of high performance computing. This talk provides an overview of the challenges in adapting the formulation of energy systems in order to utilise specialised solvers which efficiently exploit the underlying block structures. This requires energy system modellers to annotate their models in order to communicate which parts of the model should be solved in parallel while still maintaining the ability to achieve a global optimum solution. Finally, first insights of current results are discussed and an outlook on subsequent steps is given.