Day 1: European Power Grids – A Growing Optimization Footprint

Day 1 examines where optimization already shapes power-system responsibilities, where further value remains untapped across the ecosystem, and discusses best practices for applying optimization-based decision support.

Opening Session (09:00)

Hosts’ Welcome

Michał Klos, PSE (PL)
Frank Häger, Gurobi

Gurobi and PSE open the summit by framing optimization as emerging decision infrastructure for Europe’s energy transition. The session sets expectations for two days focused not on theory alone, but on operational responsibility, implementation realities, and cross-TSO learning.

Opening Keynote – The Evolving Role of Optimization in Market Design and Regulation
Tim Schittekatte – Senior Director, FTI Consulting; Part-time professor, Florence School of Regulation

Electricity market reforms are increasingly decided on quantified impact: effects on consumer bills, reliability, environmental outcomes, and market revenues. At the core of these assessments are optimization models that translate policy proposals into measurable consequences.

This keynote examines how optimization supports impact evaluation across the electricity value chain — from wholesale market design to network tariff structures — and discusses the trade-offs between accuracy, transparency, and timely delivery that determine whether reforms advance or stall.

Session 1 – Energy-First: When Operational Responsibility Demands Optimization

Speakers:
Ksenia Tolstrup – Director, Magnus Energy (NL)
Christian Merz – Data Scientist, 50Hertz (DE)
Manuel Ruiz – R&D Project Manager, RTE (FR)
Endika Urresti Padrón – Optimization and Modelling Expert, PSE (PL)

What Participants Will Gain:
A practitioner-focused perspective on how optimization supports both market design and grid operation.

Ksenia Tolstrup draws on hands-on experience with flow-based market coupling, capacity calculation, and large pan-European studies to discuss how models are applied in steering processes — including their assumptions, limits, and the growing role of hybrid approaches combining optimization with machine learning.

Christian Merz, Manuel Ruiz, and Endika Urresti focus on Optimal Topology Switching (OTS): how it is engineered, validated, and embedded into operational workflows, and what it takes to balance optimality, security constraints, and real-world deployability.

Together, the session provides a realistic view of optimization as a powerful — but carefully managed — instrument for operational decision-making.

Session 2 – Optimization-First: Unlocking Untapped Value for TSOs

Speakers:
Fabrizio Lacalandra – Power Systems and Optimization Expert (IT)
Spyros Chatzivasileiadis – Professor and Head of Section for Power Systems, DTU (DK)

What Participants Will Gain:
A forward-looking view on how advanced optimization and artificial intelligence can expand what is feasible in planning, congestion management, market coordination, and system security.

This session highlights:

• Advances in scalable optimization methods,

• Opportunities for tighter integration of grid constraints and markets,

• How methodological rigor can reduce conservatism while increasing reliability,

• Where TSOs can capture additional system value through deeper adoption.

Day 1 Closing Panel & Reflection

A moderated discussion with selected speakers synthesizes the key tensions of the day: for example, operational accountability versus methodological possibility, integration challenges versus performance gains.

Closing Reflection:
A forward-looking synthesis: Where has optimization already become mission-critical across the European power-system ecosystem — and what organizational, technical, or regulatory shifts are required next?

Networking Dinner

Day 1 concludes with a networking dinner for all participants. The dinner provides an informal setting to continue discussions, strengthen cross-organizational connections, and deepen exchange across the European power grid ecosystem.

Day 2: From Models to Impact – Making Optimization Work

Day 2 focuses on a central question for system operators, market actors, regulators, and solution providers alike: How do we move from successful models and pilots to robust, long-lived, production-grade decision systems?

Making Optimization Work – Robustness, Integration & Ownership

Speakers:
Xavier Nodet – Senior Product Manager, Gurobi
Szymon Kitowski – Optimization Expert, PSE (PL)
Martha Frysztacki – Head of Energy System Modelling, Open Energy Transition
Tin Bobetko – Managing Director, Uprise (HR)

What Participants Will Gain:
Concrete lessons on integrating optimization into operational and planning workflows, including:

• Robust model integration,

• Testing and validation strategies,

• Data governance and architecture choices,

• Long-term ownership and evolution of optimization-based systems.

The session focuses on how to move from successful prototypes to dependable, mission-critical infrastructure.

Parallel Breakout Tracks

Participants choose between two in-depth, practitioner-focused tracks.

Track A – Gurobi Solver Deep Dive

Inside the Engine: Algorithms, Explainability & Advanced Modeling

Speakers:
Robert Luce – Senior Director of Optimization, Gurobi
Jaromił Najman – Senior Developer, Gurobi
Christine Tawfik – Optimization Engineer, Gurobi
Vassilios Yfantis – Optimization Engineer, Gurobi

Designed for: Optimization enthusiasts, modelers, and analytical leads across system operators, market institutions, consultancies, and technology providers.

Topics include:

• Robert Luce & Jaromił Najman: Recent advances in algorithms, including PDHG advancing large-scale LP solving, local nonlinear optimization, and global MINLP, with a focus on energy system models, including ACOPF.

• Christine Tawfik: Explainability in optimization — ensuring results are transparent, interpretable, and defensible.

• Vassilios Yfantis: Advanced modeling techniques such as decomposition strategies and scaling.

Track B – PSE System Architecture Session

Embedding Optimization Across Planning Layers

Speakers:
Karol Wawrzyniak – Deputy Director of National Centre for Energy Analyses, PSE (PL)
Michał Kłos – Deputy Director Computational Methods Development, PSE (PL)

Designed for: Planners, system architects, and decision-support owners across transmission operators, distribution operators, and related grid institutions.

PSE shares practical experience in building multi-layer planning architecture and scaling optimization across organizational boundaries, including considerations around cost and income division.

Summit Close

Extended Networking Coffee (2 Hours | 15:00–17:00)

The summit concludes with a dedicated two-hour networking format from 15:00 to 17:00 for in-depth peer exchange. Participants can discuss implementation challenges, compare approaches across system operators and market institutions, and engage directly with Gurobi and PSE experts.

To ease networking and make conversations more targeted, we will structure the space using an RGB format:

• Red banner – Gurobi & Solver Topics: Deep-dive discussions on algorithms, modeling, performance, and product-related questions.

• Green banner – Energy Transition Challenges: Strategic and system-level topics such as market design, electrification, adequacy, and cross-border coordination.

• Blue banner – Operational Challenges: Practical integration, control-room deployment, architecture, governance, and workflow questions.

Participants can move freely between themes depending on their interests and current challenges.

As some participants may depart earlier for travel, we expect a smaller, more focused group during this final session — allowing for deeper technical and strategic discussions.

If you plan to attend the networking coffee, please let us know in advance so we can organize accordingly.