In this report, we introduce a new transparent regional capacity expansion model with high spatio-temporal resolution and detailed representation of dispatch. The development of this model, referred to as the Resource Planning Model (RPM), is motivated by the lack of a tool in the public domain that can be used to characterize optimal regional deployment of resources with detailed dispatch modeling. In particular, RPM is designed to evaluate scenarios of renewable technology deployment to meet renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and emission-reduction goals, and to project possible deployment levels for various projections of future technology and fuel prices.

Technical Report