Optimization of our future energy system

Energy system Optimization Models (ESOMs) have emerged as a very useful tool for the analysis of energy and climate policy at national scale. Given the many different engineering knowledge, decision makers and timescales evolved in such models, address their uncertainties is critical. This work tries to address all uncertainties by using the ESOM in an interactive way by searching for near cost optimal solutions. In this context, three methods to find near optimal solutions have been developed. The analysis of these new solutions leads to new insights that are unattainable by only analyzing the optimal solution. Moreover, new alternative energy systems, that decision makers might prefer over the optimal one, can emerge. This work applies this analysis on EnergyScopeTD for the Belgian energy system. Three scenarios corresponding to three CO2 emissions reduction policy are analyzed and interesting conclusions are made based on the optimal scenario and its surrounding.