B. DuPont, C. Hoyle, Eduardo Cotilla-Sanchez, Paul King, Danylo Oryshchyn, NETL #RES1100425/017 (2013)

While there has been significant research into the optimization of new collaborative energy systems (also called hybrid or polygeneration systems), there has been little exploration into developing novel power supply systems that are driven by our current system configuration. That is, while research to date largely outlines theoretical collaborative energy systems, a thorough understanding of our regional power supply and employing that understanding to propose modernization in our energy system over time has yet to be explored.  Understanding the existing power supply and consumption on a regional level (such as Oregon) and developing a computational design tool that represents the relationships between individual power generation types is crucial to the development of modern strategies for national collaborative energy system optimization. By analyzing the existing energy system in Oregon and establishing the computational framework to model this supply, we can extend this knowledge to the national level, influencing necessary growth in our power supply system in a thoughtful, precise way. This study will focus on the essential understanding of our existing energy supply architecture in order to suggest realistic, incremental changes as technological advances, societal concerns, and state and federal energy policies influence the energy supply of the future.