This two-part workshop is concerned with the use of semi-algebraic techniques for solving some difficult problems in optimization and stability assessment of large powers systems. Those techniques based on powerful results imported from Real Algebraic Geometry have been proved to be useful in a number of different contexts, not only applied (Optimization, Control, Computational algebra, Coding, etc.) but also theoretical (Combinatorial Optimization in graphs, Unique Games Conjecture, Convex Algebraic Geometry).
I. Optimal Power Flow
Of special interest for RTE has been the recent use of such techniques to solve large scale instances of the Optimum Power Flow problem (OPF), a problem of strategic importance in the management of energy networks. Finding certificates of global optimality or at least good lower bounds are essential to solve mixed integer robust or probabilistic optimization problem. So the first part of this workshop is dedicated to investigating and analyzing the power and limits of such techniques and their variants, and present possible improvements and/or alternatives to this approach.
II. Stability Assessment of Power System
The second part of the workshop will be dedicated to stability assessment of large power systems. This stability assessment is currently based on time domain simulations. Approaches based on energy functions had been proposed in the past but they were too conservative to be useful in practice. New ideas based on polynomial Lyapunov functions and SoS seem promising. In the workshop, the objective is to investigate and analyze the power and limits of such techniques and their variants and alternatives to this approach.
