Economics of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

3 credits · Nicholas School of Environment

The electric power grid is undergoing a major transformation. On the generation side we see an increase in renewable energy penetration driven by the need to reduce CO2 emissions. On the demand side we face new consumption profiles such as plug-in vehicles, smart homes and buildings. The course will focus on the strains placed on the operation and planning, such as balancing supply/demand, reliability and electricity price spikes. Most transformation is happening at the distribution level with the integration of distributed energy resources - this course will cover distribution network pricing and mechanisms. Recommended prerequisites: linear algebra, calculus, & basics of electricity generation technologies.