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Nikolakakis, Thomas

Global Practice on Energy & Extractives
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Power system modelling
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Global Practice on Energy & Extractives
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Last updated: January 31, 2023
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Thomas Nikolakakis is a power sector consultant and PhD candidate at Columbia University focusing on modeling the components of the electricity grid, studying ways to minimize the technical and environmental impact of large-scale solar and wind integration. Thomas' research interests include renewable energy integration modeling, power flow analysis, thermodynamic modeling of energy production units and energy storage technologies, modeling deregulated power systems economics (Unit Commitment and Economic Dispatch), and modeling operating emissions from different power sources.

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Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Stuck in Transition: Reform Experiences and Challenges Ahead in the Kazakhstan Power Sector
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2017-02-22) Aldayarov, Mirlan; Dobozi, Istvan; Nikolakakis, Thomas
    The large-scale transformation of Kazakhstan’s power sector following independence in 1991 was reflected by the country’s move toward liberalizing the market and implementing sector regulation. As an early adopter of a liberalized multimarket model consisting of bilateral, spot, balancing, ancillary, and capacity submarkets Kazakhstan’s power sector was regarded a market reform leader among countries of the former Soviet Union, having achieved a much improved supply and demand balance and service quality. However, despite the noteworthy headway, sector reforms remain predominantly as unfinished business. The excess generation capacity that was inherited from the former Soviet Union at a time when the “energy-only” market prices were too low to attract serious investors has masked the need to reflect on the long-term outlook of the country’s power production. As the investment crunch unfolded in the mid-2000s, a diverging concern almost immediately arose; that is, the capacity additions of existing and planned generations may not be sufficient to keep pace with the perpetuating and significant increase in the demand for power. Instead of applying market mechanisms to allow prices to rise and reflect the underlying supply and demand gap, the GoK addressed the issue by implementing administrative, command-and-control measures. This study draws on the World Bank’s long-standing engagement in Kazakhstan’s energy sector and a number of recent technical assistance and advisory support activities. The study aims to (i) objectively identify the principal challenges faced by the Kazakhstan power sector in its ongoing transition and outlining potential policy options; and (ii) draw lessons from Kazakhstan’s experience in sector reforms for the broader international audience. The study covers broader sector issues including long-term least-cost power system planning, supply and demand balancing, tariff setting, market structure, and integration of renewable energy.
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    Bosnia and Herzegovina Power Sector Note: Least-Cost Power Development Plan
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-03) Chattopadhyay, Debabrata; Nikolakakis, Thomas; Malovic, Dzenan; Vayrynen, Jari
    This report presents the findings of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Power Sector Note that focuses on a least-cost planning analysis of the BiH power sector over the next two decades (2016-2035). This World Bank ESMAP-funded study was developed in association with the Independent System Operator (ISO or NOSBiH) and other BiH stakeholders, including governmental entities and the generation utilities in BiH. The analysis presented in this report takes a critical look at the demand-supply balance in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the next twenty years (2016-2035) to identify generation investments that are most economical for a number of alternative scenarios, including policy scenarios around BiH’s policy objectives on carbon emissions, local emissions control, renewable energy and energy efficiency. In particular, the analysis compares and contrasts an optimized or least-cost plan with the Indicative Plan that has been prepared by ISO, collating a wide range of projects proposed primarily by two of the main Elektroprivreda (EP) generation companies in BiH, namely EPBiH and EPRS. A significant part of the work involved active consultations with all stakeholders to develop inputs, modelled scenarios, and vetting initial rounds of model results to refine and revise inputs or scenarios.
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    Integrating Variable Renewable Energy into Power System Operations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-01) Nikolakakis, Thomas
    Wind and solar energy is a fast-growing share of the global energy mix. But integrating them into power-system operations requires significant adaptations to compensate for their variability. Solutions include increasing the amount of flexible generation within the system, combining, and dispersing variable resources to smooth aggregate output, expanding the transmission network, using smart technology to control supply and demand, and storing electricity.