Initialization of a multi-objective evolutionary algorithms knowledge acquisition system for renewable energy power plants

Abstract

The design of Renewable Energy Power Plants (REPPs) is crucial not only for the investments' performance and attractiveness measures, but also for the maximization of resource (source) usage (e.g. sun, water, and wind) and the minimization of raw materials (e.g. aluminum: Al, cadmium: Cd, iron: Fe, silicon: Si, and tellurium: Te) consumption. Hence, several appropriate and satisfactory Multi-Objective Problems (MOPs) are mandatory during the REPPs' design phases. MOPs related tasks can only be managed by very well organized knowledge acquisition on all REPPs' design equations and models. The proposed MOPs need to be solved with one or more multi-objective algorithm, such as Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs). In this respect, the first aim of this research study is to start gathering knowledge on the REPPs' MOPs. The second aim of this study is to gather detailed information about all MOEAs and available free software tools for their development. The main contribution of this research is the initialization of a proposed multi-objective evolutionary algorithm knowledge acquisition system for renewable energy power plants (MOEAs-KAS-F-REPPs) (research and development loopwise process: develop, train, validate, improve, test, improve, operate, and improve). As a simple representative example of this knowledge acquisition system research with two selective and elective proposed standard objectives (as test objectives) and eight selective and elective proposed standard constraints (as test constraints) are generated and applied as a standardized MOP for a virtual small hydropower plant design and investment. The maximization of energy generation (MWh) and the minimization of initial investment cost (million €) are achieved by the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA), the Niched Sharing Genetic Algorithm/Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-I), and the NSGA-II algorithms in the Scilab 6.0.0 as only three standardized MOEAs amongst all proposed standardized MOEAs on two desktop computer configurations (Windows 10 Home 1709 64 bits, Intel i5-7200 CPU @ 2.7 GHz, 8.00 GB RAM with internet connection and Windows 10 Pro, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 650 @ 3.20 GHz, 6,00 GB RAM with internet connection). The algorithm run-times (computation time) of the current applications vary between 20.64 and 59.98 seconds.