Dr Merlinda Andoni, University of Glasgow. ‘‘Strategic decision-making on low-carbon technology and network capacity investments using game theory’’

Abstract: “Rapid adoption of renewable technologies has in many areas led to undesired curtailment. This means that not only renewable production is wasted, but often curtailment comes with high costs for renewable energy developers and energy end-users. A long-term solution to dealing with curtailment is increasing the network capacity. However, grid upgrades can be costly leading to a need for attracting private investment in network reinforcement. In this work, we design and evaluate a game-theoretic framework to study strategic interactions between private profit-maximising players that invest in network, renewable generation and storage capacity. Specifically, we study the case where grid capacity is developed by a private renewable investor, but line access is shared with competing renewable and storage investors, thus enabling them to export energy and access electricity demand. A practical demonstration of the underlying methodology is shown for a real-world grid reinforcement project in the UK. The methodology provides a realistic mechanism to analyse investor decision-making and investigate feasible tariffs that encourage distributed renewable investment, with sharing of grid access.”

Merlinda Andoni is a Research Associate at the University of Glasgow working for the UK’s National Centre for Energy Systems Integration CESI (£25M, EPSRC), a project that aims to unravel the energy network and understand future supply and demand and the DecarbonISation PAThways for Cooling and Heating – DISPATCH project. 

Merlinda’s expertise and research achievements focus on the challenges associated with how we achieve a resilient, low-carbon and sustainable energy system. Her role in CESI relates to investigating the potential of blockchain technologies and multiagent systems modelling for local and decentralised energy networks and microgrids.  In DISPATCH, Merlinda is working on local energy markets providing solutions for local energy trading and exchanges. 

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