Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
 | 1 | initial version |
As suggested in response to one of your previous posts, change the following Source Variable entry in both UtilityCost:Charge:Simple objects in the IDF ("totalEnergy", not "Electricity:Facility"):
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeElectric, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Electricity Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "Electricity:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.077; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeGas, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Gas Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "NaturalGas:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.0278; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
This will generate the following in the generated eplustbl.htm file:
To get kWh outputs (if desired), change the following prior to running the simulation:
OutputControl:Table:Style,
CommaAndHTML, !- Column Separator
JtoKWH; !- Unit Conversion
There's an outstanding issue with the following IDF entry:
Output:Meter,
Facility Total Cost, !- Key Name
hourly; !- Reporting Frequency
This generates the following in the eplusout.err file:
** Warning ** Output:Meter: invalid Key Name="FACILITY TOTAL COST" - not found.
Check the generated eplusout.mdd file for admissible output meters.
EnergyPlus output variables and meters are usually reserved for physical quantities (e.g. degC, kg/s, W, J). As your tariff is straightforward (0.077 $/kWh), maybe simpler to post-process hourly "Electricity:Facility" outputs in the generated eplusout.eso file:
This would at least give you a time series of hourly utility costs ... based on kWh only! Utility costs are usually a tad more complex (e.g. demand charges), which is why they are typically aggregated and reported monthly (and/or annually).
| | 2 | No.2 Revision |
As suggested in response to one of your previous posts, change the following Source Variable entry in both UtilityCost:Charge:Simple objects in the IDF ("totalEnergy", not "Electricity:Facility"):
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeElectric, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Electricity Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "Electricity:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.077; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeGas, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Gas Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "NaturalGas:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.0278; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
This will generate generates the following in the generated eplustbl.htm file:
To get kWh outputs (if desired), change the following prior to running the simulation:
OutputControl:Table:Style,
CommaAndHTML, !- Column Separator
JtoKWH; !- Unit Conversion
There's an outstanding issue with the following IDF entry:
Output:Meter,
Facility Total Cost, !- Key Name
hourly; !- Reporting Frequency
This generates the following in the eplusout.err file:
** Warning ** Output:Meter: invalid Key Name="FACILITY TOTAL COST" - not found.
Check the generated eplusout.mdd file for admissible output meters.
EnergyPlus output variables and meters are usually reserved for physical quantities (e.g. degC, kg/s, W, J). As your tariff is straightforward (0.077 $/kWh), maybe simpler to post-process hourly "Electricity:Facility" outputs in the generated eplusout.eso file:
This would at least give you a time series of hourly utility costs ... based on kWh only! Utility costs are usually a tad more complex (e.g. demand charges), which is why they utility costs are typically aggregated and reported monthly (and/or annually).
| | 3 | No.3 Revision |
As suggested in response to one of your previous posts, change the following Source Variable entry in both UtilityCost:Charge:Simple objects in the IDF ("totalEnergy", not "Electricity:Facility"):
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeElectric, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Electricity Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "Electricity:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.077; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeGas, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Gas Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "NaturalGas:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.0278; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
This generates the following in the eplustbl.htm file:file (or .html file):
To get kWh outputs (if desired), change the following prior to running the simulation:
OutputControl:Table:Style,
CommaAndHTML, !- Column Separator
JtoKWH; !- Unit Conversion
There's an outstanding issue with the following IDF entry:
Output:Meter,
Facility Total Cost, !- Key Name
hourly; !- Reporting Frequency
This generates the following in the eplusout.err file:
** Warning ** Output:Meter: invalid Key Name="FACILITY TOTAL COST" - not found.
Check the generated eplusout.mdd file for admissible output meters.
meters. Run time energy costs aren't there. EnergyPlus output variables and meters are usually reserved for physical quantities quantities (e.g. degC, kg/s, W, J). As However, as your tariff is straightforward (0.077 $/kWh), maybe it's simpler for you to post-process hourly "Electricity:Facility" outputs in the generated eplusout.eso file:
This would at least give you a time series of hourly utility costs ... based on kWh only! Utility costs are usually a tad more complex (e.g. demand charges), which is why utility costs are typically aggregated and reported monthly (and/or annually).
| | 4 | No.4 Revision |
As suggested in response to one of your previous posts, change the following Source Variable entry in both UtilityCost:Charge:Simple objects in the IDF ("totalEnergy", not "Electricity:Facility"):
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeElectric, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Electricity Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "Electricity:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.077; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeGas, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Gas Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "NaturalGas:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.0278; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
This generates the following in the eplustbl.htm file (or .html .html file):
To get kWh outputs (if desired), change the following prior to running the simulation:
OutputControl:Table:Style,
CommaAndHTML, !- Column Separator
JtoKWH; !- Unit Conversion
EDIT: Not sure which .html file here (your recent screen capture) corresponds to the usual eplustbl.htm file:
There's an outstanding issue with the following IDF entry:
Output:Meter,
Facility Total Cost, !- Key Name
hourly; !- Reporting Frequency
This generates the following in the eplusout.err file:
** Warning ** Output:Meter: invalid Key Name="FACILITY TOTAL COST" - not found.
Check the generated eplusout.mdd file for admissible output meters. Run time energy costs aren't there. EnergyPlus output variables and meters are usually reserved for physical quantities (e.g. degC, kg/s, W, J). However, as your tariff is straightforward (0.077 $/kWh), maybe it's simpler for you to post-process hourly "Electricity:Facility" outputs in the generated eplusout.eso file:
This would at least give you a time series of hourly utility costs ... based on kWh only! Utility costs are usually a tad more complex (e.g. demand charges), which is why utility costs are typically aggregated and reported monthly (and/or annually).
| | 5 | No.5 Revision |
As suggested in response to one of your previous posts, change the following Source Variable entry in both UtilityCost:Charge:Simple objects in the IDF ("totalEnergy", not "Electricity:Facility"):
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeElectric, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Electricity Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "Electricity:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.077; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
UtilityCost:Charge:Simple,
EnergyChargeGas, !- Utility Cost Charge Simple Name
Gas Tariff, !- Tariff Name
totalEnergy, !- Source Variable ... not "NaturalGas:Facility" !
Annual, !- Season
EnergyCharges, !- Category Variable Name
0.0278; !- Cost per Unit Value or Variable Name
This generates the following in the eplustbl.htm file (or .html file):
To get kWh outputs (if desired), change the following prior to running the simulation:
OutputControl:Table:Style,
CommaAndHTML, !- Column Separator
JtoKWH; !- Unit Conversion
EDIT: Not sure which .html .html file here (your recent screen capture) corresponds to the usual eplustbl.htm file:
There's an outstanding issue with the following IDF entry:
Output:Meter,
Facility Total Cost, !- Key Name
hourly; !- Reporting Frequency
This generates the following in the eplusout.err file:
** Warning ** Output:Meter: invalid Key Name="FACILITY TOTAL COST" - not found.
Check the generated eplusout.mdd file for admissible output meters. Run time energy costs aren't there. EnergyPlus output variables and meters are usually reserved for physical quantities (e.g. degC, kg/s, W, J). However, as your tariff is straightforward (0.077 $/kWh), maybe it's simpler for you to post-process hourly "Electricity:Facility" outputs in the generated eplusout.eso file:
This would at least give you a time series of hourly utility costs ... based on kWh only! Utility costs are usually a tad more complex (e.g. demand charges), which is why utility costs are typically aggregated and reported monthly (and/or annually).
