Class: Dispatch model
Analytical approach: Bottom-up
Purpose: Scenario analysis
Methodology: Optimization
Deterministic
Regions: Nodal (substations) in Switzerland
Sectors: Electricity
Demand sectors: One sector
Generation technologies: All
Energy carriers: Electricity
Time horizon: 2015-2050
Time resolution: Hourly

Developer: Unibasel
Contact: Hannes Weigt
Documentation:

Swissmod

Swissmod is a numerical model of the of the Swiss electricity market. It covers the Swiss high voltage transmission network (220 and 380kV) as well as a detailed representation of the Swiss hydropower structure. The latter includes specific characteristics of run-of-river, yearly storage and pumped storage power plants and their hydraulic coupling via the Swiss river and water stream system. Although the regional focus of Swissmod is Switzerland, surrounding countries are included to capture the impact of European market developments on the Swiss electricity system. In total Swissmod covers about 200 nodes within Central Europe, about 150 of which are within Switzerland, and about 400 transmission lines.

With its current model structure Swissmod is well suited to provide numerical quantifications of different development scenarios for the Swiss electricity markets given assumptions on the market and regulatory design, renewable support, or generation and transmission investments.

Model inputs

Hydraulic system of Switzerland (SwissTopo)
Electricity transmission grid (Swissgrid, 2012) and international exchange capacities (ENTSO-E, b)
Conventional (SFOE, 2013) and hydro generation capacities (SFOE, 2012)
Electricity demand (ENTSO-E, a; SwissGrid, 2015)

Model outputs

Hourly generation by power plant
Hourly electricity prices
Electricity flows on the Swiss transmission grid

References

Sample application

Schlecht, I. and Weigt, H. (2014): Linking Europe: The Role of the Swiss Electricity Transmission Grid until 2050. Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Volume 151, Issue 2, pp 125–165.