Network partitioning algorithms for electricity consumer clustering
Author(s)
Oladeji, Olamide.
Download1126790961-MIT.pdf (2.936Mb)
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
Technology and Policy Program.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Advisor
Ignacio Perez-Arriaga.
Terms of use
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
In many developing countries, access to electricity remains a significant challenge. Electrification planners in these countries often have to make important decisions on the mode of electrification and the planning of electrical networks for those without access, while under resource constraints. To facilitate the achievement of universal energy access, the Reference Electrification Model (REM), a computational model capable of providing techno-economic analysis and data-driven decision support for these planning efforts, has been developed. Primary among REM's capabilities is the recommendation of the least-cost mode of electrification - i.e by electric grid extension or off-grid systems - for non-electrified consumers in a region under analysis, while considering technical, economic and environmental constraints. This is achieved by the identification of consumer clusters (either as clusters of off-grid microgrids, stand-alone systems or grid-extension projects) using underlying clustering methods in the model. This thesis focuses on the development and implementation of partitioning algorithms to achieve this purpose. Building on previously implemented efforts on the clustering and recommendation capabilities of REM, this work presents the development, analysis and performance evaluation of alternative approaches to the consumer clustering process, in comparison with REM's previously incorporated clustering methodology. Results show that the alternative methodology proposed can compare favorably with the hitherto implemented method in REM. Consequently, the integration of the pro- posed network partitioning procedures within REM, as well as some potential future research directions, is discussed. Finally, this thesis concludes with a discourse on the social and regulatory aspects of energy access and electricity planning in developing countries, providing some perspectives on the development policies and business models that complement the technological contributions of this work.
Description
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2018 Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2018 Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 97-103).
Date issued
20182018
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division; Technology and Policy ProgramPublisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Institute for Data, Systems, and Society., Technology and Policy Program., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.