Integrated planning for low-carbon energy systems may require models that can coordinate long-term investments and short-term operations across electricity, hydrogen, heat, fuels and storage. This report provides a structured comparison of open-source frameworks to help researchers and practitioners understand the features of various open-source integrated planning models. The report evaluates each tool along five dimensions: 1) scope (e.g., sector coupling, network representation, temporal and spatial resolution), 2) modeling language and formulation (e.g., software implementation, formulations), 3) data management (e.g., inputs, workflows, standards compatibility) 4) treatment of uncertainty (e.g., support for stochastic analysis, decomposition techniques, sensitivity analysis, design for alternatives), and 5) usability and ecosystem (e.g., documentation, licensing, community support). The comparison shows the different modeling choices available to the practitioner that can shape the analysis in a resource planning study.
Authors Dheepak Krishnamurthy, Karen Tapia-Ahumada and Maren Ihlemann