An improved mixed integer linear programming approach based on symmetry diminishing for unit commitment of hybrid power system

Abstract

In this paper, the mixed integer linear programming (MILP) for solving unit commitment (UC) problems in a hybrid power system containing thermal, hydro, and wind power have been studied. To promote its efficiency, an improved MILP approach has been proposed, while the symmetric problem in MILP formulas has been solved by reforming hierarchical constraints. Experiments on different scales have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results indicate a dramatic efficiency promotion compared to other popular MILP approaches in large scale power systems. Additionally, the proposed approach has been applied in UC problems of the hybrid power system. Two indexes, fluctuation degree and output degree, have been proposed to investigate the performance of renewable energy sources (RES). Several experiments are also implemented and the results show that the integration of pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) can decrease the output of thermal units, as well as balance wind power fluctuation according to the load demand.