PowNet: a power systems analysis model for large-scale water-energy nexus studies

PowNet is a free modelling tool for simulating the Unit Commitment / Economic Dispatch of large-scale power systems. PowNet is specifically conceived for applications in the water-energy nexus domain, which investigate the impact of water availability on electricity supply. To this purpose, PowNet is equipped with features that guarantee accuracy, reusability, and computational efficiency over large spatial and temporal domains. Specifically, the model (i) accounts for the techno-economic constraints of both generating units and transmission networks, (ii) can be easily coupled with models that estimate the status of generating units as a function of the climatic conditions, and (iii) explicitly includes import/export nodes, which are often found in cross-border systems. PowNet is implemented in Python and runs with the help of any standard optimization solver (e.g., Gurobi, CPLEX). Its functionality is demonstrated on the Cambodian power system.