Read, Grant

Optimisation Applications at EPECentre

EGR Consulting Ltd, Christchurch, and the Electric Power Engineering Centre, University of Canterbury

EPECentre (the Electric Power Engineering Centre) was founded in 2002 with the aim of being New Zealand’s centre of excellence for electric power engineering. Since then it had developed a number of successful research programmes, including the “Green Grid” initiative which has involved integrating modelling of future trends in renewable electricity generation and household demand, together with in depth knowledge of electricity networks and power management, to ensure that New Zealanders have access to reliable, safe, and affordable renewable energy. But modelling the performance of electricity sector systems involves applying optimisation techniques at various levels. This presentation summarises some past and present applications at EPECentre, and suggests some for the future.