The energy transition, driven by the large-scale integration of intermittent renewable resources such as wind and solar, introduces unprecedented challenges for the design and operation of power systems. Variability and uncertainty in generation require advanced planning and operational strategies to ensure security of supply, economic efficiency, and sustainability. Addressing these challenges calls for modeling frameworks capable of capturing interactions among generation, storage, transmission, and flexibility resources under diverse technical and economic constraints.

This talk introduces Artelys Crystal Optimization Engine (ACOE), an optimization engine designed to meet this need through a modular yet domain-oriented modeler and a dedicated optimization toolbox.

ACOE supports a broad range of applications, including economic dispatch, unit commitment, and long-term capacity expansion planning. These problems are formulated as large-scale linear and mixed-integer programs, often spanning multi-year horizons and incorporating numerous climate scenarios, which substantially increase computational complexity.

To manage this complexity, ACOE integrates a variety of methods from modeling strategies that reduce problem dimensionality while preserving key system dynamics to specialized optimization heuristics such as rolling-horizon approaches, spatial decomposition, and scenario sampling. These techniques enable the exploration of energy pathways, the assessment of flexibility needs, and the evaluation of investment strategies under diverse system conditions. Emphasis is placed on numerical efficiency and scalability, which are essential for studying continental-scale systems and detailed temporal data.

By combining comprehensive energy system modeling with robust optimization algorithms, ACOE offers a powerful framework to analyze the economic and operational implications of the energy transition. Its methodological foundations support the development of decision-support tools that assist policymakers, system operators, and market designers in shaping future energy systems.