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arXiv · 1711.01349

Non-Wire Alternatives to Capacity Expansion

Jesus E. Contreras-Ocaña·Uzma Siddiqi·Baosen Zhang
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Abstract

Distributed energy resources (DERs) can serve as non-wire alternatives to capacity expansion by managing peak load to avoid or defer traditional expansion projects. In this paper, we study a planning problem that co-optimizes DERs investment and operation (e.g., energy efficiency, energy storage, demand response, solar photovoltaic) and the timing of capacity expansion. We formulate the problem as a large scale (in the order of millions of variables because we model the operation of DERs over a period of decades) non-convex optimization problem. Despite its non-convexities, we find its optimal solution by decomposing it using the Dantzig-Wolfe Decomposition Algorithm and solving a series of small linear problems. Finally, we present a real planning problem at the University of Washington Seattle Campus.

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Jesus E. Contreras-Ocaña, Uzma Siddiqi, Baosen Zhang. 2017-11-03. Non-Wire Alternatives to Capacity Expansion. https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.01349

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