C1.
Mission
To support energy system planners, asset managers and decision makers worldwide in anticipating and successfully managing system changes raised by the Energy Transition. To address emerging needs, seize opportunities and deal with increasing uncertainty, while respecting multiple constraints: security of operations, adequacy, resilience, affordability and sustainability. To facilitate and promote the progress of engineering and planning methods, to share current, recommended work practices and recommendations.
Scope
To elaborate scenarios and investment economics, identify trend trends and game changers, develop approaches for integration of energy sectors and deployment of hydrogen economy. To improve planning criteria and methodologies, particularly analysis of project costs, benefits and risks, to renew asset management strategies. To incorporate in system development processes all means of flexibility, all forms of storage (short and long) and the new active role of end users/demand management; to leverage digitalization, on results of innovation in technology and processes, to strengthen stakeholder engagement for realization of planned infrastructures, to support development of environmental and regulatory frameworks.
Areas of attention include:
System Planning
Planning constraints and methods in competitive and regulatory structures and with stakeholder involvement for public acceptance. Progress and new approaches in applying power system planning criteria and resilience assessment (reliability, security, adequacy). Methods and tools for steady-state and dynamic analysis in system planning; Capacity enhancement through risk-based security assessment and advanced information, communication and electronics technology for improved system stability and dynamic performance; Future dependency, requirements and provision of ancillary services for frequency and voltage control and other system needs (grid codes); System planning issues in industrialized and new developing countries, including metropolitan areas; System planning and technology issues in specific contexts, e.g. offshore wind, large RES available surpluses/deficits, low inertia systems, bi-directional power exchanges with distribution systems, HVDC and meshed DC networks; Power system development under increasing uncertainty and integration of energy sectors: transport, heating, gas, hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
Resource Management
Asset management strategies, probabilistic and risk-based, and tools, total lifecycle cost of ownership, management of scarce resources; Increasing interactions between asset management, digitalization and system planning (e.g. platforms for asset analytics); Trade-off conditions between prevention, mitigation and restoration means.
Business Management
Definition/adoption of scenario and methodologies for quantitative studies on future power systems; Investment prioritization across multiple projects and programs addressing different system needs; Adaptation to changing levels of investment risk as the nature of the power system evolves; Impact on system development of new solutions and technologies in areas such as generation, Demand Side Management (DSM), energy storage, smart grids and active distribution systems; The impact of pricing methods and tariffs for transmission services on system development and project priorities in the context of market design and grid ownership structures; Impact of business models, cost-benefit analyses and privatization on system development (investment prioritization, infrastructure tenders, merchant lines, public-private partnerships etc.); Impact of market planning and regulation (pricing, tariffs, incentives, other aspects of market design etc.) on planning scenarios, and on transmission and distribution planning and investments; Bridging the gap in understanding between experts and broader social stakeholders.
Connections - Horizontal, Vertical
Planning issues related to long-distance transmission and international interconnections. Interface and allocation issues in transmission and distribution planning, and delivery of multi-party/jurisdiction projects; Global power grid, including effects of storage, demand response and trading rules; Planning regulated/unregulated transmission assets in parallel, optimal size of interconnectors; Coordinated planning with "smart" and evolving distribution systems, especially with uncertain development and markets for demand response, electric vehicles, prosumers, dynamic pricing, distributed generation and battery costs; Planning methodologies and issues related to electrification of end uses in heating/cooling and transportation.