Electricity Markets Simulation: MASCEM Contributions to the Challenging Reality

Electricity Markets are not only a new reality but an evolving one as the involved players and rules change at a relatively high rate. Multi-agent simulation combined with Artificial Intelligence techniques may result in sophisticated tools very helpful under this context. Some simulation tools have already been developed, some of them very interesting. However, at the present state it is important to go a step forward in Electricity Markets simulators as this is crucial for facing changes in Power Systems. This paper explains the context and needs of electricity market simulation, describing the most important characteristics of available simulators. We present our work concerning MASCEM simulator, presenting its features as well as the improvements being made to accomplish the change and challenging reality of Electricity Markets.

Metalearning in ALBidS: A Strategic Bidding System for electricity markets

Metalearning is a subfield of machine learning with special pro-pensity for dynamic and complex environments, from which it is difficult to extract predictable knowledge. The field of study of this work is the electricity market, which due to the restructuring that recently took place, became an especially complex and unpredictable environment, involving a large number of different entities, playing in a dynamic scene to obtain the best advantages and profits. This paper presents the development of a metalearner, applied to the decision support of electricity markets’ negotia-tion entities. The proposed metalearner takes advantage on several learning algorithms implemented in ALBidS, an adaptive learning system that pro-vides decision support to electricity markets’ participating players. Using the outputs of each different strategy as inputs, the metalearner creates its own output, considering each strategy with a different weight, depending on its individual quality of performance. The results of the proposed meth-od are studied and analyzed using MASCEM - a multi-agent electricity market simulator that models market players and simulates their operation in the market. This simulator provides the chance to test the metalearner in scenarios based on real electricity market´s data.

Adaptive learning in multiagent systems: a forecasting methodology based on error analysis

Electricity markets are complex environments, involving a large number of different entities, playing in a dynamic scene to obtain the best advantages and profits. MASCEM is a multi-agent electricity market simu-lator to model market players and simulate their operation in the market. Market players are entities with specific characteristics and objectives, making their decisions and interacting with other players. MASCEM pro-vides several dynamic strategies for agents’ behaviour. This paper presents a method that aims to provide market players strategic bidding capabilities, allowing them to obtain the higher possible gains out of the market. This method uses an auxiliary forecasting tool, e.g. an Artificial Neural Net-work, to predict the electricity market prices, and analyses its forecasting error patterns. Through the recognition of such patterns occurrence, the method predicts the expected error for the next forecast, and uses it to adapt the actual forecast. The goal is to approximate the forecast to the real value, reducing the forecasting error.

A moda e o traje militar

RESUMO - A introdução do Uniforme nas forças armadas em Portugal deu-se no século XVII e este é claramente influenciado e por vezes mesmo condicionado pelo vestuário civil e pelas modas em voga.

Virtual power producers market strategies

This paper presents MASCEM - a multi-agent based electricity market simulator. MASCEM uses game theory, machine learning techniques, scenario analysis and optimisation techniques to model market agents and to provide them with decision-support. This paper mainly focus on the MASCEM ability to provide the means to model and simulate Virtual Power Producers (VPP). VPPs are represented as a coalition of agents, with specific characteristics and goals. The paper detail some of the most important aspects considered in VPP formation and in the aggregation of new producers and includes a case study.

A arte e a heráldica autárquica em Portugal

RESUMO: Aborda-se a heráldica autárquica portuguesa não sob o aspecto da correcção da ordenação dos brasões de armas, mas privilegiando-se a abordagem em termos artísticos, ou seja a experimentação estética das armas e sua experimentação em termos de inovação e criatividade.

Multi-agent electricity market simulation with dynamic strategies & virtual power producers

Distributed energy resources will provide a significant amount of the electricity generation and will be a normal profitable business. In the new decentralized grid, customers will be among the many decentralized players and may even help to co-produce the required energy services such as demand-side management and load shedding. So, they will gain the opportunity to be more active market players. The aggregation of DG plants gives place to a new concept: the Virtual Power Producer (VPP). VPPs can reinforce the importance of these generation technologies making them valuable in electricity markets. In this paper we propose the improvement of MASCEM, a multi-agent simulation tool to study negotiations in electricity spot markets based on different market mechanisms and behavior strategies, in order to take account of decentralized players such as VPP.

A inclusão de elementos heráldicos no vestuário não ocidental

RESUMO: É ensaiado um levantamento, ainda que sumário, de usos heráldicos na indumentária não ocidental, nomeadamente em África e no Japão.

Os azulejos do Palácio dos Biscaínhos

RESUMO: É analisada a pintura azulejar do século XVIII que decora o salão nobre do Palácio dos Biscaínhos em Braga, sob a óptica da representação da indumentária e das modas coevas.

Distributed generation producers' reserve management

Sustainable development concerns are being addressed with increasing attention, in general, and in the scope of power industry, in particular. The use of distributed generation (DG), mainly based on renewable sources, has been seen as an interesting approach to this problem. However, the increasing of DG in power systems raises some complex technical and economic issues. This paper presents ViProd, a simulation tool that allows modeling and simulating DG operation and participation in electricity markets. This paper mainly focuses on the operation of Virtual Power Producers (VPP) which are producers’ aggregations, being these producers mainly of DG type. The paper presents several reserve management strategies implemented in the scope of ViProd and the results of a case study, based on real data.

Eça de Queiroz e a moda

RESUMO: Eça de Queiroz foi uma personalidade impar da literatura portuguesa, sendo as suas obras reflexo do tempo que viveu e da sociedade em que se integrou, verificando-se que estas, estão recheadas de referências à indumentária e às modas que se iam sucedendo e que muitas vezes descreveu. Dos indícios documentais biográficos, releva uma relação com a indumentária pessoal muito atenta e cuidada quase podendo ser considerado um dandy.

Dragões de Olivença

RESUMO: É analisada nesta pesquisa a evolução histórica e a heráldica de uma unidade de Cavalaria do Exército Português cujas origens remontam à instalação ainda no século XVIII de um Regimento de Cavalaria na cidade de Olivença, sendo a designação “Dragões de Olivença” recuperada no Estado Novo.

A formação da heráldica do exército no Estado Novo

RESUMO: É analisada nesta pesquisa a evolução da Heráldica do Exército Português ao longo do Estado Novo, sendo referida a importante reforma da década de 60 que lhe veio a conferir uma qualidade excepcional.

A heráldica e a emblemática da Guarda Nacional Republicana I

RESUMO: Ensaia-se o estudo da evolução da heráldica e emblemática da Guarda Nacional Republicana. Trata-se da primeira tentativa de abordagem da matéria em apreço, privilegiando-se e análise em termos artísticos, ou seja a experimentação estética das armas.

A heráldica e a emblemática da Guarda Nacional Republicana - II

RESUMO: Ensaia-se o estudo da evolução da heráldica e emblemática da Guarda Nacional Republicana. Trata-se da primeira tentativa de abordagem da matéria em apreço, privilegiando-se e análise em termos artísticos, ou seja a experimentação estética das armas.