The series Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage
technology transfer in control engineering. The rapid development of
control technology impacts all areas of the control discipline. New
theory, new controllers, actuators, sensors, new industrial processes,
computer methods, new applications, new philosophies . . ., new
challenges. Much of this development work resides in industrial reports,
feasibility study papers and the reports of advanced collaborative
projects. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an
extended exposition of such new work in all aspects of industrial
control for wider and rapid dissemination. Deregulation of electricity
markets is a worldwide activity with leading and distinctive
developments occurring in the European and US markets. The immediate
impact of these changes is felt in the higher levels of the power
production hierarchy where tools to aid short-term economic decision
making are needed. At the lower levels of the production control
hierarchy the impact is to demand much more flexible unit operation so
that the determined short-term goals can be met. Allen and Illic have
produced this useful monograph on the decision algorithms needed to
determine unit commitment proflles over the shorter time frame of hours
and days. The method of dynamic programming has been used and the work
covers modelling, cost function and construction, an introduction to
dynamic programming and a detailed assessment of its use. The monograph
comes complete with programs in Appendix D and with other appendices
giving the necessary supporting theory.