Joseph Ferrari

Electric Utility Resource Planning: Past, Present and Future covers the balance of renewable costs, energy storage, and flexible backstop mechanisms needed in electric utility resource planning. In addition, it covers the optimization of planning methodologies and market design. The book argues that net load, ramping and volatility concerns associated with renewables call into question the validity of almost a century of planning approaches. Finally, it suggests that accounting for flexibility… Show more

Electric Utility Resource Planning: Past, Present and Future covers the balance of renewable costs, energy storage, and flexible backstop mechanisms needed in electric utility resource planning. In addition, it covers the optimization of planning methodologies and market design. The book argues that net load, ramping and volatility concerns associated with renewables call into question the validity of almost a century of planning approaches. Finally, it suggests that accounting for flexibility helps optimize the efficiency of the entire fleet of assets, minimizing costs and CO2 generation simultaneously, concluding that a flexible, independent backstop mechanism is needed, regardless of renewables or storage.

Case studies provide a mix of hypothetical "what if" scenarios and analyses of real-life utility portfolios drawn from international examples. Show less

A comprehensive assessment of the California power system and the use of renewable fuels such as hydrogen and synthetic methane as a form of long-term energy storage.

An exploration of different definitions and pathways utilities can take to reach 100% decarbonization goals. Detailed capacity expansion simulations for a typical US electric utility quantifying the cost of serving load when unconstrained by renewable portfolio standards, and comparison of what it takes to make the final jump to 100%.

Volatility is a central feature of electricity markets, impacting the profitability investors realize from their power plants or portfolios. In this article we describe how flexible capacity maximizes profits for independent power producers and minimizes costs for utilities.

With an eye towards the future, and taking increasing renewable penetration into account, utilities must make choices regarding the type of capacity they will install and the ways in which they will make their decisions (what models and tools to use to make the selections for future capacity). In this article we describe how internal combustion engines (ICEs) balance renewables while optimizing the expansion plan, minimizing costs and reducing emissions at the fleet level. The primary… Show more

With an eye towards the future, and taking increasing renewable penetration into account, utilities must make choices regarding the type of capacity they will install and the ways in which they will make their decisions (what models and tools to use to make the selections for future capacity). In this article we describe how internal combustion engines (ICEs) balance renewables while optimizing the expansion plan, minimizing costs and reducing emissions at the fleet level. The primary mechanism is one of portfolio optimization, in which ICEs take the majority of balancing operations, leaving the most efficient units (combined cycles) to provide energy at the highest efficiency. Unlocking this potential requires the use of state of the art capacity expansion models, which are also discussed. Show less

Article in Wartsila Technical Journal describing the ways in which portfolio diversification with an eye towards operational flexibility can optimize renewable integration, yielding tremendous savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Describes advanced analytical methods for valuing flexibility for integrated resource planning.

This paper explores state of the art long term Capacity Expansion Modeling, and describes ways in which utility scale (50-500+ MW) modular, flexible internal combustion engine (ICE) plants can, at the utility fleet scale- optimize renewable integration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce total utility costs (capital and operating), reduce the amount of capacity needed to meet load, and improve reliability relative to the traditional gas turbine paradigm.

We have developed an interdisciplinary, spatially explicit approach for prioritizing treatment of harmful, nonnative, invasive plants in National Park landscapes of the Mid-Atlantic USA. Our approach provides a valuable tool for resource managers in terms of prioritizing management options in confronting biological invasions.

An analysis of operational costs for the CAISO system in 2022- Using the PLEXOS(TM) software, the paper compares costs assuming 5.6 GW of gas-turbine based new-builds vs. the same capacity of Wartsila gas engines (new builds across time frame 2012-2022). Results show Wartsila gas engine technology can reduce CAISO CO2 emissions by 1.1%, save ratepayers 6% annually, and improve reliability. A good case study of how Wartsila technology can optimize renewable integration and reduce costs… Show more

An analysis of operational costs for the CAISO system in 2022- Using the PLEXOS(TM) software, the paper compares costs assuming 5.6 GW of gas-turbine based new-builds vs. the same capacity of Wartsila gas engines (new builds across time frame 2012-2022). Results show Wartsila gas engine technology can reduce CAISO CO2 emissions by 1.1%, save ratepayers 6% annually, and improve reliability. A good case study of how Wartsila technology can optimize renewable integration and reduce costs simultaneously. Show less

Ferrari JR, EL Presser, MC Fitzpatrick (2013). Dynamic network models are developed and applied to complex, time dependent invasion biology processes. Results include information useful for broad scale management, and illustrate some of the pitfalls of using static network metrics to explain dynamic processes. This work is an advance of network science applied to the biological sciences.

This article reviews a study performed by DNV Kema, where the costs of operating the California (CAISO) system with 33% renewable penetration were evaluated with and without Smart Power Generation (SPG). The findings show that the increased flexibility of SPG can reduce system operating costs by 4-12%, and reduce millions of tons/year of CO2 emissions.

Morzillo AM, JR Ferrari and J Liu (2011) A landscape approach for assessing ecological feasibility of a black bear population recovery. Landscape Ecology 26:69-81.

Lookingbill, TR, RH Gardner, JR Ferrari, CE Keller (2009) Combining a dispersal model with network theory to assess habitat connectivity. Ecological Applications 20: 427-441.

Vogt P, JR Ferrari, RH Gardner, TR Lookingbill, K Riitters, K Ostapowicz (2009) Mapping functional connectivity. Ecological Indicators 9(1):64-71

Ferrari JR, TR Lookingbill, B McCormick, PA Townsend, KN Eshleman (2009), Surface mining and reclamation effects on flood response of watersheds in the central Appalachian Plateau region, Water Resources Research, 45, W04407,doi:10.1029/2008WR007109.

Gardner R, T Lookingbill, P Townsend, JR Ferrari (2008) A general approach for rescaling land cover data. Landscape Ecology. 25:513-526

Ferrari JR and TR Lookingbill (2008) Initial conditions and their effect on invasion velocity across heterogeneous landscapes. Biological Invasions. DOI 10.1007/s10530-008-9330-2

Ferrari JR, TR Lookingbill, MC Neel (2007) Two measures of landscape-graph connectivity: an assessment across gradients in area and configuration. Landscape Ecology 22:1315-1323

Ferrari JR, Shelor, FM and R Bianco (1998) Emissions and efficiency characteristics of a 79MW diesel combined technology combined cycle. Proceedings of the 1998 Spring Technical Conference of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division, S.T. Bell (ed). ICE Vol 30(3): 91-102

Ferrari JR, C Herman, R Bianco (1997) First and Second law analysis of diesel engines and gas turbines in combined cycles: a comparative study, Proceedings of the American Power Conference, 59(2):847-852