132

CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

8.1 CONCLUSION

The foremost objective of this research is to formulate effective

solution techniques to optimize the power generation expenses in terms of
reducing the total production cost and increasing profit. In the proposed four
different techniques namely Modified Dynamic Programming algorithm,
Dynamic Programming based Lagrangian Relaxation algorithm, Genetic
Algorithm based Lagrangian Relaxation algorithm and Particle Swarm
Optimization based Lagrangian Relaxation algorithm have been considered
for obtaining the optimal solution for Profit Based Unit Commitment
problem. In DPLR, GALR and PSOLR the economic schedule is obtained
from Lagrangian Relaxation method. Equality constraints are satisfied in all
the four approaches considering reliability as a main factor in solving profit
based unit commitment problem. The reserve is added as a percentage of load
to the generation while satisfying the equality constraints. The 10 unit system
considered for evaluation is treated as an individual GENCO.

Modified Dynamic Programming approach employs a three stage

optimization algorithm for solving PBUC. In MDP the parameter lambda is
optimized during the initial stage using the coordination equations. Lambda
optimization is a repeated process till the condition is satisfied and therefore
the convergence speed is slow. However the solution obtained is accurate than
the individual DP solution. Constraint relaxation is allowed if the
combinations do not converge at all during any stages of the scheduled time
 133

period. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated for NTPS 7 unit and
IEEE 10 unit system respectively.

Dynamic Programming based Lagrangian Relaxation avoids the

complexity experienced in MDP method. Lambda iteration method is
employed in DPLR to obtain the unit commitment status. Forward Dynamic
Programming is applied in solving the problem and while back tracking for
optimal commitment it is ensured that the constraints are met. No constraint
relaxation is observed in DPLR method. As the number of generating units is
less the dimensionality issue is less concerned. UC status is determined by the
DP method and the economic schedule is obtained by the Lagrangian
Relaxation. The profit and total fuel cost of DPLR are not superior to MDP,
but the convergence of the solution is fast. The performance of the algorithm
is evaluated for 10 unit system.

Genetic Algorithm based Lagrangian Relaxation approach is based

on selection of the best population in the global search space. Selection of the
optimal solution is based on the fitness function. In the proposed work the
crossover probability percentage is higher than the mutation probability. This
may avoid the solution to get struck in local optima. The advantage of GALR
is the capability of finding out optimal UC schedules in less computing time,
able to generate many different UC schedules and able to add more
constraints for better optimum schedule. The results reveal that the production
cost is less when compared to MDP and DPLR approaches interms of fuel
cost, profit and convergence speed. Sometimes the determination of
population size and mutation rate is time consuming which forces the
algorithm to converge in a local maximum or minimum.

Particle Swarm based Lagrangian Relaxation approach eliminates

the drawbacks of all the other proposed approaches. The PSOLR requires less
parameter tuning. There is less probability for the PSO algorithm to get struck
 134

in local optima as it does not have overlapping and mutation calculation.

Performance of the algorithm is evaluated from their internal operators and
parameter values. Proper selection of parameters in the PSO algorithm can
further improve the quality of the solution.

The conventional methods solve PBUC problem by considering

only profit maximization and the demand constraint is not considered. But in
the proposed methods the profit maximization and demand constraints are
considered. Hence the proposed methods are the best for solving the PBUC
problem.

To conclude, when the parameter values are properly selected,

PSOLR gives an optimal solution in terms of low production cost and high
profit and consumes minimum execution time.

8.2 FUTURE WORK

Future work may be the application of hybrid intelligent techniques

for obtaining both the UC status and Economic Dispatch thus reducing the
execution time for large sized practical power systems. The proposed
technique can be extended to power scheduling problems of Automatic
Generation Control. However, the research on the PSO is still at the
beginning. Hybridizing PSO with the other intelligent optimization algorithms
combines the advantages of the PSO with the advantages of the other
intelligent optimization algorithms to create an even more better solution with
wide application ranges.