Grid Analytics

Acelerex commercially-available software provides robust tools for optimizing long-term energy capacity planning, enabling efficient integration of diverse resources to meet grid reliability and economic goals. Alternative Analysis is designed to solve multi-year optimal capacity needs while considering planning reserve margins, operational costs, and advanced renewable clustering. This analysis supports decision-making for resource integration, ensuring reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Alternative Analysis solves when, where, and how much in capacity optimization.

The following components are key to Alternative Analysis:

• All Fuel types, Renewables, and Energy Storage types
• Demand Response (DR), Energy Efficiency (EE), Distributed Generation (DG), and others
• Planning Reserve Margin Compliance
• Multi-Year Optimization
• Minimization of Capital and Operational Investments
• Advanced Clustering Algorithm to Represent Renewables
• Energy Storage (ES) Cycling and Fading Estimation
• Energy and Ancillary Services integration
• Augmentation Strategies
• Ramping Restrictions on PV + BESS
• Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) calculations

Use Case: Optimizing Resource Integration for a Regional Energy Plan

Scenario:
A regional grid operator is tasked with developing a 10-year capacity expansion plan that ensures grid reliability, minimizes costs, and meets renewable energy targets. The plan must address diverse resource options, including renewables, energy efficiency, and energy storage, while adhering to planning reserve margins and operational constraints.

Solution Implementation:

1. Capacity Optimization Analysis determines the optimal timing, location, and quantity of resource additions. The model incorporates data on demand growth, resource costs, and grid constraints to provide actionable recommendations.
2. Resource Diversity Modeling integrates all fuel types, renewables, and energy storage options, as well as DR, EE, and DG. This holistic approach ensures that all available resources are considered in the optimization process.
3. Planning Reserve Margin Compliance ensures that the grid maintains adequate capacity to meet peak demand and reliability standards over the planning horizon.
4. Multi-Year Optimization evaluates resource needs over a 10-year period, minimizing both capital investments and operational costs while meeting grid requirements.
5. Renewable Resource Clustering uses advanced algorithms to model variable renewable resources more accurately. This allows for better representation of generation profiles and their impact on grid operations.
6. Energy Storage Cycling and Fading Estimation accounts for the operational life and efficiency of energy storage systems, ensuring sustainable and cost-effective deployment.
7. Energy and Ancillary Services Integration evaluates the value of resources not just in energy markets but also in supporting grid services such as frequency regulation and ramping.
8. Augmentation Strategies identify opportunities to enhance existing assets, such as retrofitting or expanding storage capacity.
9. Ramping Restrictions on PV + BESS ensures that photovoltaic systems paired with batteries meet operational requirements, such as responding to sudden changes in demand or generation.
10. Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Calculations provides a clear financial metric for comparing resource options, supporting informed investment decisions.

Outcome:
The regional grid operator uses Acelerex’s Alternative Analysis to develop a comprehensive capacity expansion plan. This plan achieves planning reserve margin compliance, minimizes system costs, and integrates a diverse mix of resources to meet renewable energy targets. By leveraging advanced analytics and optimization, the operator ensures a reliable, resilient, and cost-effective grid for the next decade.

Empower your grid planning with Acelerex’s Alternative Analysis solutions. Contact us today to achieve reliable, optimized, and sustainable grid operations.