Travail de fin d'études et stage[BR]- Travail de fin d'études : Pan-European Energy Market Modeling : a Pragmatic Comparison between GBOML and Plexos[BR]- Stage

Abstract

In recent years, environmental concerns have increasingly influenced decision-making processes, leading to the implementation of regulations to mitigate the environmental impact of human activities. While historically decisions regarding generation units were primarily economically driven, contemporary priorities emphasize minimizing environmental impact. This shift entails considerations such as promoting renewable energies and economically penalizing CO2-emitting units. Thus, reliable modeling of the system is crucial, requiring flexible tools capable of integrating these diverse factors.

The choice of modeling tools among transmission system operators (TSOs) presents challenges due to varying financial resources and preferences. Although Plexos is a powerful and widely used energy modeling software, its high cost makes it inaccessible to some TSOs, leading to the adoption of alternative platforms. This leads to a fragmentation of approaches and methodologies, complicating collaboration and harmonization of practices within the energy sector.

This thesis aims to evaluate GBOML (Graph-Based Optimization Modeling Language), an open-source modeling language, as a potential alternative to Plexos. By providing ENTSO-E (the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity) with an additional tool, the objective is not to replace Plexos but to offer TSOs an alternative for enhanced modeling flexibility. Structured to present a comprehensive comparison between GBOML and Plexos, this thesis explores their functionalities, modeling guidelines, and practical implementations. Through empirical analysis, including energy optimization models for Belgium and its neighboring countries, insights into the performance and applicability of GBOML relative to Plexos are provided.

The simulations and analyses performed lead to the conclusion that GBOML and Plexos can be compared, as the results obtained for the different simulations are very similar. However, GBOML, unlike Plexos, is not yet fully developed and therefore not as easy to use at present, but has great potential for improvement.