The bee-benders hybrid algorithm with application to transmission expansion planning

This paper introduces a novel hybrid optimisation algorithm that combines elements of both metaheuristic search and integer programming. This new matheuristic combines elements of Benders decomposition and the Bees Algorithm, to create the Bee-Benders Hybrid Algorithm (BBHA) which retains many of the advantages of both methods. Specifically, it is designed to be easily parallelisable, to produce good solutions quickly while still retaining a guarantee of optimality when run for a sufficiently long time. The algorithm is tested using a transmission network expansion and energy storage planning model, a challenging and very large scale mixed integer linear programming problem. The BBHA is shown to be a highly effective hybrid matheuristic algorithm for this challenging combinatorial optimisation problem that performs at least as well as either Benders decomposition or the Bees Algorithm on their own, and significantly improves upon the individual approaches in many instances. While the paper demonstrates the effectiveness on an electricity network planning problem, the algorithm could be readily applied to any mixed integer linear program, and is expected to work particularly well whenever this has a structure that is amenable to Benders decomposition.