Erik F. Alvarez is a researcher in the
Electric Power System Unit at
RISE, where he focuses on the modeling and optimization of power systems.
His work addresses focuses flexibility resources, market clearing, long-term transmission expansion planning, and the integration of distributed energy resources, with a particular interest in uncertainty management and regulatory frameworks.
Prior to joining RISE, Erik completed his Ph.D. in Electrical Energy at
Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain, under the guidance of
Dr. Andrés Ramos Galán and
Dr. Luis Olmos Camacho.
His doctoral research contributed to the field of transmission expansion planning by improving mathematical modeling to incorporate a refined representation of the electricity network, flexibility, uncertainty and sector coupling — including the roles of utility-scale storage, and distributed flexibility. He also contributed on the development and maintenance of open-source energy modelling tools such as openTEPES. At the same he worked as a research assistant at the Instituto de Investigación Tecnológica (IIT) in Madrid, Spain.
Erik also holds a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, under the supervision of the Dr. Marcos J. Rider. His thesis work focused on the development of optimisation models for the transmission expansion planning and stochastic market clearing using convex relaxations such as semidefinite relaxation to transform typically non-convex problems into a semidefinite (convex) programing problems considering the integration of renewable energy sources.
And, he also holds an B.Sc. in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Lima, Peru.
Between his M.Sc. and B.Sc., he gained practical experience in the Peruvian electricity sector working in the Transmission Expansion Planning Sub-Division of the Peruvian Independent System Operator (COES-SINAC), focusing on system planning and operational analysis.
In his spare time, Erik enjoys swimming, running, board games and especially listening to music. He is also passionate about collaborative open source research, the role of clean energy systems in sustainable development and finance strategies.
Research interests: integrated expansion planning; electricity markets, optimal power flow, uncertainty management; integration of DERs; sector coupling; long duration energy storage; system flexibility; open-source energy modeling.
News
2025 - June – Abstract accepted related to H2-based virtual power plant for presentation at the EURO 2025 Leeds, Conference.
2025 - January – PhD Defense, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid, Spain, Thesis.
2024 - October – New job position at RISE.
2024 - July – Participation in the EEM 2024 conference in Istanbul, Turkey. Presenting a paper on the self-scheduling of a hydrogen-based virtual power plant in day-ahead energy and reserve electricity markets, Conference.
Tools
Contribution in open-source optimisation modelling:
oHySEM – optimized Hybrid Systems for Energy and Market management, Link.
openTEPES – open Generation, Storage, and Transmission Operation and Expansion Planning Model with RES and ESS, Link.
Selected Projects
Contribution in:
RISE – SCALE EU funded project - Smart Charging ALignment for Europe, Link.
IIT-Comillas – DEFINER EU funded project - Flexible Electricity Demand Management in Markets with Very High Penetration of Renewable Energy.
IIT-Comillas – openENTRANCE EU funded project - open ENergy TRansition ANalyses for a low-Carbon Economy, Link.
UNICAMP – Introduction of the Semidefinite Relaxation Approach in Power System Optimisation Problems.
COES SINAC – Verification Studies of the Peruvian Electricity System's Target Firm Reserve Margin Update 2017-2020, Link.
COES SINAC – Transmission Plan Update 2017 - 2026 for the Peruvian Electricity System, Link.
Selected Publications
Erik F. Alvarez, Juan Camilo López, Andrés Ramos, and Luis Olmos. An optimal expansion planning of power systems considering cycle-based AC optimal power flow. Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, 2024.
DOI.
This paper presents a novel mixed-integer linear optimization formulation of the AC network-constrained, cost-based, integrated expansion planning problem. The formulation is used to determine the investment needs per technology including the location and sizing of new generation, energy storage, and transmission network assets in a future low-carbon power system. To reduce the size of the resulting problem, the AC optimal power flow (AC-OPF) model is represented in a compact way using cycle constraints. A bound tightening procedure is also considered to reduce the search space and improve the solver performance by adjusting the voltage bounds within the AC-OPF. Contrary to typically used formulations of the integrated expansion planning problem, the constraints considered here include all main aspects of system operation, namely unit commitment, energy storage system management, AC-OPF, and reactive power compensation. Thus, in this paper, we examine how both the proposed transmission expansion modeling developments and the interrelation of the integrated planning constraints affect the computation of the solution to the expansion planning problem. The performance of this formulation is assessed on the RTS-GMLC test system by computing the expansion plan and comparing it with the results of three other expansion planning formulations most frequently employed in the recent literature to address the integrated expansion planning problem for medium to large-scale systems. Expansion plans are computed and compared for different case studies and multiple scenarios. According to the comparative analysis, neglecting the AC-OPF or the unit commitment constraints can increase the total system costs by 7.10%–9.57% or 6.29%–8.39%, respectively. Unlike other modeling approaches, the proposed approach does not rely on simplifications that impact the quality of the solution. Thanks to the incorporated cycle-based AC-OPF constraints and the consideration of a bound tightening procedure, the computation time is reduced by 17.67%–27.21%.
@article{ALVAREZ2024101413,
title = {An optimal expansion planning of power systems considering cycle-based AC optimal power flow},
journal = {Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks},
volume = {39},
pages = {101413},
year = {2024},
issn = {2352-4677},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segan.2024.101413},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352467724001425},
author = {Erik F. Alvarez and Juan Camilo López and Luis Olmos and Andres Ramos}
}
Erik F. Alvarez, Pedro Sánchez-Martín, and Andrés Ramos. Self-Scheduling for a Hydrogen-Based Virtual Power Plant in Day-Ahead Energy and Reserve Electricity Markets. 2024 20th International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM), Istanbul, Turkiye, 2024.
DOI.
This study presents an innovative optimization model for the self-scheduling of a hydrogen-based virtual power plant (H2-VPP) that aims to thrive in day-ahead energy and reserve markets. At its core, the model seeks to optimize profits by integrating a mix of renewable sources, battery storage, electrolyzers, and hydrogen storage, highlighting the model's focus on both electricity and hydrogen networks within a unified operational framework. Designed to navigate the complexities of a VPP, the model excels at strategically managing diverse resources for energy and reserve markets, emphasizing optimal operation of all assets. It accounts for the interplay between electricity and hydrogen production, storage, and demand, and addresses the time constraints critical to increasing revenues and ensuring balanced supply. A case study demonstrates the model's effectiveness, highlighting the role of hydrogen storage in increasing renewable integration and revenues. This underscores the model's ability to leverage the unique dynamics of electricity and hydrogen within the H2-VPP, confirming its potential in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.
@INPROCEEDINGS{10608848,
author={Alvarez, Erik F. and Sánchez-Martín, Pedro and Ramos, Andrés},
booktitle={2024 20th International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM)},
title={Self-Scheduling for a Hydrogen-Based Virtual Power Plant in Day-Ahead Energy and Reserve Electricity Markets},
year={2024},
volume={},
number={},
pages={1-6},
keywords={Renewable energy sources;Hydrogen storage;Costs;Navigation;Electricity;Hydrogen;Production;Day-ahead;electricity market;hydrogen;secondary reserves;virtual power plant},
doi={10.1109/EEM60825.2024.10608848}
}
Erik F. Alvarez, Luis Olmos, Andrés Ramos, Kyriaki Antoniadou-Plytaria, David Steen and Le Anh Tuan Values and impacts of incorporating local flexibility services in transmission expansion planning. Electric Power Systems Research, 2022.
DOI
This paper presents a cost-based TSO-DSO coordination model to quantify the value of local flexibility services and analyze its impact on the transmission grid expansion and the system operation. Flexibility is provided to the DC power flow transmission grid model by microgrids within the integrated AC power flow distribution grid model. The model’s objective is to minimize the overall cost of transmission investments and procured flexibility and is achieved using a bilevel optimization approach where the power exchanges on all connected grid interfaces are controlled. Case studies using a combined test system of the IEEE RTS-96 transmission network interfacing multiple 33-bus distribution grids were performed to validate the model and assess the values and impacts of local flexibility on the transmission system expansion. The results showed that the proposed model modified the investment plan and dispatch of flexibility resources reducing the investment and operation cost of the transmission system.
@article{ALVAREZ2022108480,
title = {Values and impacts of incorporating local flexibility services in transmission expansion planning},
journal = {Electric Power Systems Research},
volume = {212},
pages = {108480},
year = {2022},
issn = {0378-7796},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2022.108480},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378779622005958},
author = {Erik F. Alvarez and Luis Olmos and Andrés Ramos and Kyriaki Antoniadou-Plytaria and David Steen and Le Anh Tuan},
}
Erik F. Alvarez, Miguel Paredes, and Marcos J. Rider. Semidefinite relaxation and generalised benders decomposition to solve the transmission expansion network and reactive power planning. IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution, 2020.
DOI
This study presents a methodology to solve simultaneously the alternating current (AC) transmission network expansion and reactive power planning problems, considering multiple stages and operating conditions. A mixed-integer non-linear programming model for the proposed planning problem is presented and rewritten with semidefinite structures. Then, the generalised Benders decomposition is used to separate the overall problem into an upper-level (master) problem and several lower-level (slaves) problems. The master problem is a mixed-integer linear programming problem that optimises the investment cost and constraints of the multistage expansion. Each slave problem minimises the operating costs associated with each stage and operating condition (normal operation or contingency), considering the AC power flow via semidefinite relaxation. With the proposed methodology, the global optimality of generalised Benders decomposition can be preserved due to the use of semidefinite relaxation in each slave problem. Garver's 6-bus system and an IEEE 118-bus system are used to show the precision and convergence to near-global optimal solutions with small relaxation gaps through the proposed approach.
@article{Alvarez20190331,
author = {Alvarez, Erik F. and Paredes, Miguel and Rider, Marcos J.},
title = {Semidefinite relaxation and generalised benders decomposition to solve the transmission expansion network and reactive power planning},
journal = {IET Generation, Transmission \& Distribution},
volume = {14},
number = {11},
pages = {2160-2168},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-gtd.2019.0331},
year = {2020}
}
Erik F. Alvarez, Juan Camilo López, Pedro P. Vergara, Jefferson J. Chavez and Marcos J. Rider. A Stochastic Market-Clearing Model Using Semidefinite Relaxation. 2019 IEEE Milan PowerTech, 2019.
DOI
This paper proposes a two-stage stochastic market clearing (SMC) model based on a semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation. The SMC model aims at determining the day-ahead schedule (DA) and the real-time (RT) balance settlement that minimize the total expected production cost. The network capacity constraints are considered in the proposed model through an AC power flow formulation, while the uncertainty in the renewable-based generation is taking into account using a set of stochastic scenarios. In order to solve the proposed non-linear programming model, a SDP relaxation is used. An illustrative example (3-bus test system) and the IEEE Reliability 24-bus test system are used to show the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed model. Results shown that the proposed SDP relaxation introduce a negligible error, when compared with the solution after solving the original non-linear model.
@INPROCEEDINGS{8810418,
author={Alvarez, Erik F. and López, Juan C. and Vergara, Pedro P. and Chavez, Jefferson J. and Rider, Marcos J.},
booktitle={2019 IEEE Milan PowerTech},
title={A Stochastic Market-Clearing Model Using Semidefinite Relaxation},
year={2019},
volume={},
number={},
pages={1-6},
keywords={Reactive power;Wind power generation;Real-time systems;Generators;Light rail systems;Programming;Stochastic processes;Stochastic market-clearing;AC optimal power flow;semidefinite relaxation},
doi={10.1109/PTC.2019.8810418}
}
