PLEXOS 6.206 Release Notes
Contents
- Upgrade Compatibility
- Changes
- Features
- User Interface
- New Inputs
- Moved Inputs
- Input Changes
- New Outputs
- Changed Outputs
1. Upgrade Compatibility
Your 6.20x (or 5.201) database will be upgraded automatically and should function just as before. There should be no manual upgrading required, except where detailed below. Databases upgraded from 6.1x versions might require some post-upgrade changes as described in the Release Notes for 6.201.
2. Changes
Data File Upscaling Method and Downscaling Method now default to "Auto" (value = -1). In "Auto" setting the method used is determined based on the type of property. For example unit commitment data are upscaled with the "Step" method, whereas generation and load are upscaled with the "Interpolate" method. You now need only set these parameters if you want to override the default methods.
The sign of the terms Condition Lines Flowing Forward and Flowing Back have been changed from -1,0 to 1,0. Existing properties will need to be changed manually.
3. Features
3.1. Interleaved Run Mode
Interleaved run mode is a significant new modelling feature targeted at customers running day-ahead and real-time models back-to-back, or other combinations such as "unconstrained" versus "constrained" simulations. This run mode takes care of passing solution data between two simulations in much the same manner as is used now (via text files). What is unique about this run mode is that the simulation steps are interleaved, and initial conditions are passed back from the second simulation (e.g. real-time) to the first (e.g. day-ahead) at each stage.
Refer to the Model class and Balancing Markets article for details.
3.2. LOLP Constraints
Constraints can now be defined on the loss of load probability (LOLP) in LT Plan. In ST Schedule, LOLP can be used to determine the amount of Reserve required. Refer to the help on Region LOLP Target and Reserve Regions LOLP Target for details.
3.3. Incremental Ramp Constraint Setting
The new Production setting Formulate Ramp Upfront (default="true") allows you to switch between formulation of Generator ramp constraints (defined by Max Ramp Up, Max Ramp Down) "upfront" versus "incremental". The "Incremental" setting has shown significant speed improvement on large models.
3.4. Reserve
Using the new Reserve Unit Commitment setting it's now possible to optimize the choice of generators that provide a Reserve, and thus enforce limitations such as "If a generator provides reserve it must provide at least a and no more than b". The bounds on reserve are modelled with Reserve Generators Min Provision, Min Spinning Provision or Min Regulation Provision and Max Response. This feature is analogous to unit commitment for the generation problem.
Modelling of reserve sharing across the inter-regional transmission network is now available. Reserve Sharing Enabled toggles this feature on/off and Reserve Sharing Losses Enabled toggles on/off consideration of transmission losses in reserve sharing. The reserve sharing formulation ensures that the transmission system reserves spare capacity to carry reserve provision between zones or regions. To use this feature you must associate one the Reserve with a Region via the Regions collection and be running in regional transmission mode.
3.5. Integer Fuel Logic
You can now create Constraint objects that control combinations of fuels used by generators. For example a Generator might be associated with multiple Fuel objects, but only certain combinations of those fuels are valid. These combinatorial constraints can be implemented using the new Constraint Fuels In Use Coefficient.
3.6. Error and Warning Message System
Error and warning messages are now configurable via a new tab in the Settings form of the user interface. From this form you can change the action that occurs for each message type. For example you might want to ignore certain warning messages, or have the engine show only the first occurrence. Alternatively you might want to raise what is normally treated as a warning to an error level.
All messages are recorded and summarised in a new section at the end of the log file even those that you have chosen to 'ignore' during the course of the simulation.
See the Error and Warning Messages page for a complete listing of these messages.
4. User Interface
N/A.
5. New Inputs
The following table lists all the new input properties available in this release. Please refer to the help for detailed information.
| Collection | Property | Relates To |
|---|---|---|
| Generator | Must Report | Forcing a Generator to report even if out-of-service. |
| - | Min Stable Factor | Alternative way to define Min Stable Level which is more efficient if Max Capacity changes over time and Min Stable Level is a simple proportion of that value. |
| - | Offer Quantity Scalar | Interleaved run mode |
| - | Offer Price Incr | Interleaved run mode |
| - | Offer Price Scalar | Interleaved run mode |
| - | Pump Bid Quantity Scalar | Interleaved run mode |
| - | Pump Bid Price Scalar | Interleaved run mode |
| Physical Contract | Price Setting | Toggle price setting for Physical Contract |
| - | Units | On/off switch for Physical Contract |
| Purchaser | Price Setting | Toggle price setting for Purchaser |
| - | Units | On/off switch for Purchaser |
| Market | Price Setting | Toggle price setting for Market |
| - | Units | On/off switch for Market |
| Reserve | Unit Commitment | Unit commitment of reserve providers |
| - | Sharing Enabled | Reserve sharing |
| - | Sharing Losses Enabled | Reserve sharing |
| Reserve Regions | LOLP Target | LOLP constraints that define a Reserve requirement |
| Generators | Min Spinning Provision | Limit when unit is committed |
| - | Min Regulation Provision | Limit when unit is in regulation range |
| Region | LOLP Target | LOLP constraints for LT Plan |
| Zone | LOLP Target | LOLP constraints for LT Plan |
| Node | Rating | Maximum power flow through the Node |
| Constraint Fuels | In Use Coefficient | Fuel integer logic constraints |
| Transmission | Flow PTDF Threshold | Speed improvements to OPF |
| - | Wheeling PTDF Threshold | Speed improvements to OPF |
| Production | Formulate Ramp Upfront | Speed improvements for unit commitment |
| Diagnostic | Interleaved | Interleaved run mode |
| Diagnostic | Heat Rate | Diagnostic for curve fitting of heat rate and non-convex corrections |
6. Moved Inputs
N/A.
7. Input Changes
The following properties are renamed:
| Collection | Property | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission | PTDF Tolerance | Flow PTDF Threshold |
8. New Outputs
The following new outputs properties are added:
| Collection | Old Name | New Name |
|---|---|---|
| Generator | Average Total Cost | Similar to Average Cost but inclusive of start costs. |
| - | Age | LT Plan |
| - | Annualized Build Cost | LT Plan |
| - | Total Cost | LT Plan |
| - | Levelized Cost | LT Plan |
| Generator Fuels | Hours In Use | Integer fuel logic constraints |
| Region | Export Cost | Component of Net Cost of Exports |
| - | Import Revenue | Component of Net Cost of Exports |
| Zone | Export Cost | - |
| - | Import Revenue | - |
| - | Net Cost of Exports | - |
9. Changed Outputs
| Collection | Property | Period Type | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Energy | Summary | Load |
| Zone | Energy | Summary | Load |
| Node | Energy | Summary | Load |