Aspen-EE: An Agent-Based Model of Infrastructure Interdependency

Abstract

This report describes the features of Aspen-EE (Electricity Enhancement), a new model for simulating the interdependent effects of market decisions and disruptions in the electric power system on other critical infrastructures in the U.S. economy. Aspen-EE extends and modifies the capabilities of Aspen, an agent-based model previously developed by Sandia National Laboratories. Aspen-EE was tested on a series of scenarios in which the rules governing electric power trades were changed. Analysis of the scenario results indicates that the power generation company agents will adjust the quantity of power bid into each market as a function of the market rules. Results indicate that when two power markets are faced with identical economic circumstances, the traditionally higher-priced market sees its market clearing price decline, while the traditionally lower-priced market sees a relative increase in market clearing price. These results indicate that Aspen-EE is predicting power market trends that are consistent with expected economic behavior.4

Agent-based Simulation of Electricity Markets -A Literature Review-

“…An overview of the reviewed literature is given in Figure 5. • Conzelmann et al 2004;North et al 2002a;•North et al 2002b;Veselka et al 2002 4.2 Integration green house gas emissions Batten et al 2005;Graham 2004 4.3 Integration of emission trading and renewable support schemes , •Czernohous et al 2003 [PowerACE] •Sensfuß and Genoese 2006 4.4 Integration of macroeconomic aspects et al, 1996et al, •Barton et al, 2000 Source: (own visualisation)…”

“…The agent-based simulation called Aspen-EE developed at Sandia National Laboratories seeks to analyse the impact of market structures and power outages in the electricity sector on the economy (Barton et al, 2000). In addition to the ability to model several power markets it simulates the labour market and the product market.…”

On the need and use of models to explore the role of economic confidence:a survey.

“…He developed an agent-based simulation library called Aspen, which has been used for various efforts within DOE, DoD, DHS, and others (see Basu et al 1998, Barton et al 2000, Slepoy and Pryor 2002, Sprigg and Ehlen 2004. The Aspen work has spawned the N-ABLE program currently sponsored by NISAC (listed below) and led to the formation of the Evolutionary Computing and Agent-Based Modeling Department at SNL.…”

Simulating economic effects of disruptions in the telecommunications infrastructure.

“…In 2000, Sandia developed a new model of infrastructure interdependency called Aspen-EE. This model extended the capabilities of Aspen to include the impact of market structures and power outages in the electric power system, a critical infrastructure, on other infrastructures in the economy [4].…”