How to creat a new cost in the objective function

[Lee]

Hello everyone!
As we all know, the objective function of the TIMES is to minimize the total cost. The total cost usually contains the Invcost、OMcost etl.(My expression may not be accurate enough)
I want to know if I can add a new cost in the total cost.
Maybe my thoughts is wrong.
But if it is feasible, please tell me how to do it. Thanks all!

[Antti-L]

I think your question is not very clear – at least to me it isn't.

You said "I want to know if I can add a new cost in the total cost"?  Could you please define what "a new cost added to the total cost" would entail?

Anyway, the existing costs types do have a reasonably good coverage of various costs:

  • ACT_COST  – activity costs
  • ACT_CSTUP – start-up costs
  • ACT_CSTSD – shut-down costs
  • ACT_CSRMP – ramping costs
  • ACT_CSTPL  – partial load cost penalty
  • COM_CSTNET  – commodity net costs
  • COM_CSTPRD  – commodity production costs
  • COM_SUBNET  – commodity net subsidies
  • COM_SUBPRD  – commodity production subsidies
  • COM_TAXNET  – commodity net taxes
  • COM_TAXPRD  – commodity production taxes
  • DAM_COST  – damage costs
  • FLO_COST –  variable flow costs
  • FLO_DELIV –  variable delivery costs
  • FLO_SUB – variable flow subsidies
  • FLO_TAX – variable flow taxes
  • IRE_PRICE  – exogenous prices of import/export
  • NCAP_COST – investment costs
  • NCAP_FOM – fixed O&M costs
  • NCAP_FSUB – fixed operation subsidies
  • NCAP_FTAX – fixed operation taxes
  • NCAP_ISUB – investment subsidies
  • NCAP_ITAX  – investment taxes
  • NCAP_DCOST  – decommissioning costs
  • NCAP_DLAGC  – cost of decommissioning delay
  • NCAP_VALU  –  value of material released during decommissioning

In addition, interest during construction and risk premiums are directly supported components of investment costs.

If you mean that you want to add some new cost type, in general that would require the following:

  • implementing the new input parameter for the new cost type
  • if necessary, implementing new variables and equations related to the new cost type
  • implementing the objective function modifications related to the new cost type
  • implementing reporting for the costs of the new cost type

All of that is possible for any user to do without changing the common TIMES code base, via the extension mechanism, but it requires good knowledge of GAMS in general and of the TIMES code in particular.  Therefore, the recommended route for implementing new cost types would be a proposal submitted to ETSAP for implementing such a new feature.

If you mean that you want to change the objective function (without actually implementing any new cost type) that is directly supported by the Tradeoff analysis functionality.

[Lee]

I think your question is not very clear – at least to me it isn't.

You said "I want to know if I can add a new cost in the total cost"?  Could you please define what "a new cost added to the total cost" would entail?

Anyway, the existing costs types do have a reasonably good coverage of various costs:

  • ACT_COST  – activity costs
  • ACT_CSTUP – start-up costs
  • ACT_CSTSD – shut-down costs
  • ACT_CSRMP – ramping costs
  • ACT_CSTPL  – partial load cost penalty
  • COM_CSTNET  – commodity net costs
  • COM_CSTPRD  – commodity production costs
  • COM_SUBNET  – commodity net subsidies
  • COM_SUBPRD  – commodity production subsidies
  • COM_TAXNET  – commodity net taxes
  • COM_TAXPRD  – commodity production taxes
  • DAM_COST  – damage costs
  • FLO_COST –  variable flow costs
  • FLO_DELIV –  variable delivery costs
  • FLO_SUB – variable flow subsidies
  • FLO_TAX – variable flow taxes
  • IRE_PRICE  – exogenous prices of import/export
  • NCAP_COST – investment costs
  • NCAP_FOM – fixed O&M costs
  • NCAP_FSUB – fixed operation subsidies
  • NCAP_FTAX – fixed operation taxes
  • NCAP_ISUB – investment subsidies
  • NCAP_ITAX  – investment taxes
  • NCAP_DCOST  – decommissioning costs
  • NCAP_DLAGC  – cost of decommissioning delay
  • NCAP_VALU  –  value of material released during decommissioning

In addition, interest during construction and risk premiums are directly supported components of investment costs.

If you mean that you want to add some new cost type, in general that would require the following:

  • implementing the new input parameter for the new cost type
  • if necessary, implementing new variables and equations related to the new cost type
  • implementing the objective function modifications related to the new cost type
  • implementing reporting for the costs of the new cost type

All of that is possible for any user to do without changing the common TIMES code base, via the extension mechanism, but it requires good knowledge of GAMS in general and of the TIMES code in particular.  Therefore, the recommended route for implementing new cost types would be a proposal submitted to ETSAP for implementing such a new feature.

If you mean that you want to change the objective function (without actually implementing any new cost type) that is directly supported by the Tradeoff analysis functionality.

Thank you Antti! Your answer is very clear!
I was trying to add a cost of additional economic benefits from the adoption of a certain technology, and I would try to combine it with one of the above costs.
I am just a beginner in TIMES and may have unprofessional questions, thank you very much for your reply!