Welcome to PowNet’s documentation!

PowNet is an open-source Python framework simulating the least-cost operational scheduling of large-scale power systems as a Production Cost Model (PCM). At its heart, it solves the Unit Commitment (UC) and Economic Dispatch (ED) problems using Mixed-Integer Linear Programming to determine optimal generator schedules that meet hourly demand while respecting operational and network constraints. Designed for accessibility with simple CSV inputs and support for both Gurobi and the open-source HiGHS solvers, PowNet includes advanced features like reservoir simulation for hydropower and stochastic time series generation. Its modular design facilitates straightforward analysis for basic users while offering flexibility for advanced research, custom constraints, and model extensions.

The software is actively maintained by researchers at the Critical Infrastructure Systems Lab, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University.

Getting started

• Introduction

• Installation

• Quick start example

• Preparing PowNet inputs

Examples

• Custom Modeling Workflow

• Creating Synthetic Load Time Series

• Creating Synthetic Solar Time Series

• Estimating Hydropower with the Reservoir Module

• Reservoir Re-operation Example

Technical explanations

• Mathematical Formulation

• Dispatchable/Non-dispatchable generators

• Linearized DC power flow

• Time series modeling

• Reservoir model

References

• Contributing

• Citing PowNet

• Related publications

• Development team

• Glossary

• API Reference