Optimal Power Flow

What is Optimal Power Flow?

Optimal Power Flow (OPF) adds intelligence to the standard load flow calculation. Whereas the standard load flow calculates branch flows and busbar voltages based on specified “set points” (active/reactive power generation, generator voltage, transformer tap positions, etc.), OPF calculates the “best possible” values for optimising a user-specified objective function (such as minimisation of losses), taking into account a number of user-defined constraints.

Optimal Power Flow modules

The OPF (Reactive Power Optimisation) module uses an AC load flow calculation and offers a range of controls and constraints for the optimisation of a selected objective function such as reactive power reserve. The OPF (Economic Dispatch) module adds the capability to optimise using cost-related controls such as generation active power dispatch, and an option for contingency-constrained DC optimisation.

  • Optimisation of load flow according to user-selected objective functions
  • For AC Optimisation, standard solver or IPOPT solver
  • For DC Optimisation, standard CBC or LP solver, or commercial solvers such as CPLEX or GUROBI1

Reactive Power Optimisation

  • Minimisation of total or partial grid losses
  • Maximisation of reactive power reserve
  • Reactive Power Optimisation (interior point method)
  • Various controls such as:
    • Generator reactive power
    • Transformer and shunt taps
    • Static Var Systems
  • Flexible constraints such as:
    • Branch flow and voltage limits
    • Generator reactive power limits
    • Reactive power reserve
    • Boundary flows
    • Bay loading

Economic Dispatch

  • Requires OPF (Reactive Power Optimisation)
  • Various objective functions, e.g.:
    • Minimisation of losses
    • Minimisation of costs (eco dispatch)
    • Minimisation of load shedding
    • Optimisation of remedial post fault actions, e.g. booster tap changes (pre- to post fault)
  • AC optimisation (interior point method)
  • DC optimisation (linear programming)
  • Various controls such as:
    • Generator active and reactive power
    • Transformer, quad booster, shunt taps
    • HVDCs
    • Static Var Systems
  • Flexible constraints such as:
    • Branch flow and voltage limits
    • Generator active and reactive power limits
    • Active and reactive power reserve
    • Boundary flows
  • Contingency constraints (DC only)2

 

1 CPLEX and GUROBI licences to be purchased separately
2 Requires Contingency Analysis licence

PowerFactory