High performance computing for electric power systems: Applications and trends

The last significant works that made an effort to review and summarize the relationship between High Performance Computing (HPC) and Power Systems Analysis were published in the mid 1990's. Since that time significant changes have occurred in both fields. HPC has seen the maturation of cluster computing, the advent of multicore, the creation of Grid Computing, the rise of the GPU for general purpose computing and the gradual ending of Moore's law. Power systems have also changed and matured at a rapid pace through deregulation, the integration of renewable energy, the integration of distributed energy production and storage, concerns regarding climate change, and recent discussions concerning the smart grid. Considering the vast amount of change that has occurred in both industries, this work reviews ways in which HPC has been used in the field of power systems over the last 15 years while also identifying some emerging trends and suggesting possible future applications.