A new generation of the optimization techniques offers higher profits, visibility and faster reaction to market conditions

The pace of change in the energy utility world is accelerating. The new political, environmental, and competitive pressures in all European countries mandate new ways to operate and find efficiencies. We are proposing a lot broader use of optimization technologies as they are starting to be practiced by lead edge energy companies. We will present a holistic case for optimization techniques at the global and local level that are integrated with distributed control systems and each other. They yield a very high degree of transparency, high speed optimization and fast reaction capability with complete profit understanding. This case deals with most of the pressures facing modern utility companies. It is most appropriate for companies that operate a wider variety of generating technologies and which support the central processes like asset management, portfolio optimization, and utilities production planning. We will present best practice examples from industry and give indications of the gains made by those already practicing these techniques. Gains of 3 to 5 % of variable operating costs are standard for fairly small IT and organizational behaviour adjustments. (author)