diff --git a/src/py/crankshaft/test/test_optimization.py b/src/py/crankshaft/test/test_optimization.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8932bac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/py/crankshaft/test/test_optimization.py
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+"""Unit tests for the optimizaiton module"""
+
+import unittest
+import numpy as np
+
+from crankshaft.optimization import Optim
+from crankshaft.analysis_data_provider import AnalysisDataProvider
+import cvxopt
+
+# suppress cvxopt GLPK messages
+cvxopt.glpk.options['msg_lev'] = 'GLP_MSG_OFF'
+
+
+class RawDataProvider(AnalysisDataProvider):
+    """Raw data provider for testing purposes"""
+    def __init__(self, raw_data):
+        self.raw_data = raw_data
+
+    def get_column(self, table, column, dtype=float):
+        """Returns requested 'column' of data"""
+        if column != 'cartodb_id':
+            return np.array(self.raw_data[column], dtype=dtype)
+        elif table == 'drain_table':
+            return np.arange(1, len(self.raw_data['capacity_col']) + 1)
+        elif table == 'source_table':
+            return np.arange(1, len(self.raw_data['production_col']) + 1)
+
+    def get_pairwise_distances(self, _source, _drain):
+        """Returns pairwise distances"""
+        return np.array(self.raw_data['pairwise'], dtype=float)
+
+
+class OptimTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Testing class for Optimization module"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        # self.data = json.loads(
+        #     open(fixture_file('optim.json')).read())
+        # capacity ~ 0.01 * production given waste_per_person of 0.01
+        # so capacity_col = [9, 31] / 100
+        self.data = {
+            'all_right': {"production_col": [10, 10, 10],
+                          "capacity_col": [0.09, 0.31],
+                          "marginal_col": [5, 5],
+                          "pairwise": [[1, 2, 3], [3, 2, 1]]},
+            'all_left': {"production_col": [10, 10, 10],
+                         "capacity_col": [0.31, 0.09],
+                         "marginal_col": [5, 5],
+                         "pairwise": [[1, 2, 3], [3, 2, 1]]},
+            '2left': {"production_col": [10, 10, 10],
+                      "capacity_col": [0.21, 0.11],
+                      "marginal_col": [5, 5],
+                      "pairwise": [[1, 2, 3], [3, 2, 1]]},
+            'infeasible': {"production_col": [10, 10, 10],
+                           "capacity_col": [0.19, 0.11],
+                           "marginal_col": [5, 5],
+                           "pairwise": [[1, 2, 3], [3, 2, 1]]}}
+
+        self.params = {'waste_per_person': 0.01,
+                       'recycle_rate': 0.0,
+                       'dist_rate': 0.15,
+                       'dist_threshold': None,
+                       'data_provider': None}
+        self.args = ('drain_table', 'source_table',
+                     'capacity_col', 'production_col',
+                     'marginal_col')
+
+        # print(self.model_data)
+        # print(self.model_params)
+
+    def test_optim_output(self):
+        """Test Optim().output"""
+        outputs = {'all_right': [2, 2, 2],
+                   'all_left': [1, 1, 1],
+                   '2left': [1, 1, 2],
+                   'infeasible': None}
+        for k in self.data:
+            if k == 'infeasible':
+                continue
+            self.params['data_provider'] = RawDataProvider(self.data[k])
+            optim = Optim(*self.args, **self.params)
+            out_vals = optim.output()
+            drain_ids = [row[0] for row in out_vals]
+            print(drain_ids)
+            print(k)
+            self.assertTrue(drain_ids == outputs[k])
+
+        return True
+
+    def test_check_constraints(self):
+        """Test optim._check_constraints"""
+        for k in self.data:
+            self.params['data_provider'] = RawDataProvider(self.data[k])
+            print(k)
+            try:
+                optim = Optim(*self.args, **self.params)
+                # pylint: disable=protected-access
+                constraint_check = optim._check_constraints() is None
+            except ValueError as err:
+                # if infeasible, catch and say it's acceptable
+                print(k)
+                if k == 'infeasible':
+                    constraint_check = True
+                    print(constraint_check)
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError(err)
+            self.assertTrue(constraint_check)
+
+    # def test_check_model_params(self):
+    #     """Test model param defaults are correctly formed"""
+    #     for k in self.data:
+    #         self.params['data_provider'] = RawDataProvider(self.data[k])
+    #         optim = Optim(*self.args, **self.params)
+    #         # pylint: disable=protected-access
+    #         model_check = optim._check_model_params() is None
+    #         self.assertTrue(model_check)
+
+    def test_optim(self):
+        """Test optim.optim method"""
+        # assert False
+        pass