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A method and system are provided for calculating a marginal cost curve for a plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads. The method includes providing a model used for controlling the plant. The model relates plant load and one or more given cost contributing factors

A method and system are provided for calculating a marginal cost curve for a plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads. The method includes providing a model used for controlling the plant. The model relates plant load and one or more given cost contributing factors. The marginal value for each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads is determined using the model. A variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads is determined by: (i) multiplying the marginal value of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by a respective unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors, and (ii) if there are a plurality of given cost contributing factors, summing the results of (i) at each of the plurality of specified plant loads. A marginal variable cost is determined at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by computing a derivative of the variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads. A collection of marginal variable costs at the plurality of specified plant loads defines the marginal cost curve for the plant at the plant load range.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A method for dispatching electricity producing assets associated with an electric power producing plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads, the method comprising: (a) determining a marginal value for each of one or more given cost cont

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for dispatching electricity producing assets associated with an electric power producing plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads, the method comprising: (a) determining a marginal value for each of one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads using a model for controlling the electric power producing plant, the model relating plant load and one or more given cost contributing factors; (b) determining a variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by: (i) multiplying the marginal value of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by a respective unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors, and (ii) if there are a plurality of given cost contributing factors, summing the results of (i) at each of the plurality of specified plant loads; (c) determining a marginal variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by computing a derivative of the variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads; (d) defining a marginal cost curve for the electric power producing plant at the plant load range using a collection of the marginal variable costs at the plurality of specified plant loads; and (e) dispatching electricity producing assets associated with the electric power producing plant in accordance with the marginal cost curve for the electric power producing plant at the plant load range, wherein said one or more given cost contributing factors include an emissions allowance cost comprising a NOx emission allowance cost or an SOx emission allowance cost. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more given cost contributing factors further include a consumables cost, or a plant depreciation or maintenance cost. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the consumables cost comprises the cost of fuel, reagents or sorbents. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the model is a fuel efficiency or plant emission model. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the load is electric output of the plant. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of cost contributing factors, and wherein the marginal values for the plurality of cost contributing factors are determined from multiple models or from multiple outputs of the model. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the model comprises a neural network model, a genetic algorithm model, or a first principle model. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the model is a one-dimensional model derived from a multi-dimensional plant control model. 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining the unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors in real time from a market source. 10. A computer program product for dispatching electricity producing assets associated with an electric power producing plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads, the computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause that processor to: (a) determine a marginal value for each of one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads using a model used for controlling the electric power producing plant, the model relating plant load and one or more given cost contributing factors; (b) determine a variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by: (i) multiplying the marginal value of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by a respective unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors, and (ii) if there are a plurality of given cost contributing factors, summing the results of (i) at each of the plurality of specified plant loads; (c) determine a marginal variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by computing a derivative of the variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads (d) define a marginal cost curve for the electric power producing plant at the plant load range using a collection of the marginal variable costs at the plurality of specified plant loads; and (e) dispatch assets associated with the electric power producing plant in accordance with the marginal cost curve for the electric power producing plant at the plant load range, wherein said one or more given cost contributing factors include an emissions allowance cost comprising a NOx emission allowance cost or an SOx emission allowance cost. 11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the one or more given cost contributing factors further include a consumables cost or a plant depreciation or maintenance cost. 12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the consumables cost comprises the cost of fuel, reagents or sorbents. 13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the model is a fuel efficiency or plant emission model. 14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the load is electric output of the plant. 15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein there are a plurality of cost contributing factors, and wherein the marginal values for the plurality of cost contributing factors are determined from multiple models or from multiple outputs of the model. 16. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the model comprises a neural network model, a genetic algorithm model, or a first principle model. 17. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the model is a one-dimensional model derived from a multi-dimensional plant control model. 18. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the processor further obtains the unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors in real time from a market source. 19. A system for dispatching electricity producing assets associated with an electric power producing plant at a plant load range comprising a plurality of specified plant loads, the system comprising: a model for controlling the electric power producing plant, the model relating plant load and one or more given cost contributing factors; means for determining a marginal value for each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads using the model; means for determining a variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by: (i) multiplying the marginal value of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by a respective unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors, and (ii) if there are a plurality of given cost contributing factors, summing the results of (i) at each of the plurality of specified plant loads; means for determining a marginal variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads by computing a derivative of the variable cost at each of the plurality of specified plant loads; means for defining a marginal cost curve for the plant load range using a collection of the marginal variable costs at the plurality of specified plant loads; and means for dispatching electricity producing assets associated with the electric power producing plant in accordance with the marginal cost curve for the electric power producing plant at the plant load range, wherein said one or more given cost contributing factors include an emissions allowance cost comprising a NOx emission allowance cost or an SOx emission allowance cost. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more given cost contributing factors further include a consumables cost or a plant depreciation or maintenance cost. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the consumables cost comprises the cost of fuel, reagents or sorbents. 22. The system of claim 19 wherein the model is a fuel efficiency or plant emission model. 23. The system of claim 19 wherein the load is electric output of the plant. 24. The system of claim 19 wherein there are a plurality of cost contributing factors, and wherein the marginal values for the plurality of cost contributing factors are determined from multiple models or from multiple outputs of the model. 25. The system of claim 19 wherein the model comprises a neural network model, a genetic algorithm model, or a first principle model. 26. The system of claim 19 wherein the model is a one-dimensional model derived from a multi-dimensional plant control model. 27. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for obtaining the unit cost of each of the one or more given cost contributing factors in real time from a market source.