LIAM

Laboratory of Information Analysis and Modelling

General description of the activity

The objectives of the researchers working at the laboratory are the following: 1. To strengthen the IT skills of academics and other UPC staff who have been working in the fields of modeling, simulation, multivariate analysis of data and information management, so that, as a result of the complementary character of these disciplines, they are able to undertake projects that are more long-term and wider in scope. 2. To carry out research and methodological innovation in the aforementioned fields and their implementation in computer science systems for the solution of scientific and business problems raised by the information society. 3. To take on European leadership in subjects like modeling, simulation, data mining and information analysis.

Specific areas of research energy field

• Space-Time Forecasting System for Wind Power Generation: The objective of this project is to investigate and develop a methodology which will allow us to make accurate short and medium term wind power forecasts. In this project we have to take into account two important research areas that are absolutely related to each other: a) space-time wind forecasting and b) wind power forecasting in order to get accurate wind power forecasts that will be of great utility for system operators, electricity companies and wind farms builders/managers (Project supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, :DPI2009-14048).
• Influence of macroeconomic indicators in power prices. The objective of this research line is to investigate the relationships between electricity spot prices and the macroeconomic indicators as for example USdollar/Euro (USD/Euro) exchange rate and oil prices.
• Forecasting electricity spot prices. In liberalized electricity markets, the way the generation companies use to manage their production is to build an hourly bid that is sent to the day-ahead market. The objective of the companies is to maximize their benefits but the price at which the energy will be paid is unknown during the bidding process. This situation makes the spot price forecast an essential point into the electricity management strategies.