The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is challenging the research and industrial communities to successfully develop and test power system optimization and control algorithms to accelerate the development and comprehensive evaluation of new solution methods for grid optimization. The goal of the forthcoming Grid Optimization Competition (GO Competition)* is to accelerate the development of transformational and disruptive methods for solving power system optimization problems, including Security Constrained Optimal Power Flow (OPF). Algorithms that perform well in the competition will enable increased grid flexibility, reliability and safety, while also significantly increasing economic and energy security, energy efficiency and substantially reducing the costs of integrating variable renewable generation technologies into the electric power system in the United States.
This competition will provide: fair and transparent comparisons of industrially-relevant algorithm performance on high-fidelity, open-access, large-scale power system models; and a platform for the identification of transformational and disruptive methods for solving power system optimization problems.
* Subject to appropriation of funding
ARPA-E held a webinar in November 2016, to directly involve the community via a Request for Information (RFI) on the design of this competition. View a recording of the webinar.
The GO Competition was formally announced at the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit in February 2017 by Acting Director Dr. Eric Rohlfing.
