There is a long tradition of using methods from computer science, mathematics, statistics, and operations research in planning energy supply and use. At DIMACS, a 1989 workshop dealt with reliability of electric power networks, a 1999 workshop studied algorithmic problems arising from next generation unit commitment models in electric power generation, and a special focus on Large Scale Discrete Optimization included
analysis of energy systems. The complexity and interconnectedness of our energy
systems call for the development of new and more powerful algorithmic methods for dealing with complex systems, optimizing supply, getting early warning of problems, and dealing with massive amounts of data. This miniworkshop will explore algorithmic challenges in designing, operating, investing in, and monitoring modern energy systems.
Presentations will be informal, there will be lots of time for discussion, and we aim to use this miniworkshop to begin to plan subsequent activities at DIMACS.
Among the topics to be considered:
Design and control of energy systems
How much to invest in different energy development projects given uncertainty about climate, demand, and government regulations
Algorithms for electric power dispatch from intermittent sources (e.g., wind)
Allocation of energy sources in times of scarcity
Energy efficiency generally
Energy-efficient scheduling architectures
Energy-efficient network protocols
Energy-aware communication and task scheduling
Green computing
Intelligent mining of sensor stream signals to manage temperature in data centers
Methods for stable and reliable operation of the national electric power grid
Minimizing vulnerability of energy systems
Use of formal algorithmic methods in management of the electric power grid
Achieving an ultra-efficient, self-healing, attack-resistant energy system
Applying algorithms for telecom and computer networks to the power grid
Integrating alternative power sources
Smart appliances
Indicators of grid instability and how to use them
Avoiding cascading failures in the electric power grid
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