Long Term Dynamics of Investment in Electric Power System Planning

Abstract

This talk describes an interdisciplinary approach to computer modeling of large-scale power systems over a long-term horizon. The goal is to simulate the interplay between the economic, technical and environmental factors in the system to help guide regulatory policies. In particular, we are interested in alleviating boom and bust cycles, inadequate investment in infrastructure and other systemic problems. The challenge of simulating short-term behavior such as hourly wholesale electricity prices within the longer-term model is presented. Our approach uses a combination of system dynamics approaches and more detailed power system models. Numerical examples from the Western Electric Coordination Council (WECC) illustrate the approach.

Speaker Biography

Kevin Tomsovic (F’07) received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, in 1982 and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1984 and 1987, respectively. Currently, he is Head and CTI Professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Visiting University positions have included Boston University, Boston, MA; National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.; National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.; and the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. He was on the faculty of Washington State University from 1992-2008. He held the Advanced Technology for Electrical Energy Chair at Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan, from 1999 to 2000 and was an NSF program director in the ECS division from 2004 to 2006.