Penalizing Technologies that are too cheap

[Donald112]

Hi,

I have a world energy model working fairly well but I running into a problem in the Electricity sector.  I of course have multiple technologies that can supply electricity (Coal, Gas, Wind, Solar, etc).  I know I can use user constraints to limit the amount of each technology, and I can adjust the price (Capex, FIXOM, VAROM, AF and EFF) to get different technology mixes.  The probably is that, for example, Wind and Solar are only slightly different and a very small change in the cost  (e.g. CapEX) causes one or the other to dominate.  Obviously, I would like both technologies to be used but I don't want to force a minimum or maximum.  Is it possible to add a cost to the technology as it is added such that other technologies (higher price ones) become available within the period?  I do change the prices on a 3-5 years basis but one technology always seems to win within a period.  How can I force the model to use both (multiple) technology without just specifying the answer I want in a user constraint?

Thanks,
Donald

[AKanudia]

The basic answer is "Supply Curves", which is perhaps what you are suggesting in "..such that other technologies (higher price ones) become available within the period"

In RE potential can be segmented by resource intensity and cost into several classes, and offered as a supply curve.

[Donald112]

The basic answer is "Supply Curves", which is perhaps what you are suggesting in "..such that other technologies (higher price ones) become available within the period"

In RE potential can be segmented by resource intensity and cost into several classes, and offered as a supply curve.

That sounds what I am looking for.  Can you point me in a direction about how to implement this within a time period for a technology like Solar? I don't know how to create a supply curve within one time period.  Is this approach detailed in the documentation some where?

Thanks,
Donald