Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
 | 1 | initial version |
Here's a list that's probably incomplete.
I recommend HOMER (free trial and "QuickStart" web versions are available), which I've used to model on and off grid systems. One of the challenges I had was getting hourly load profiles early in design when the design engineers only had peak and monthly values (I wrote some Python functions for this purpose). However, if there are detailed building models for the project, the outputs can be used for the inputs of the microgrid model.
Compared to building models, microgrid models can be much simpler because there are fewer inputs and the analyses typically only involve aggregated loads (electric, gas, etc.) compared to all the individual loads in an building model (lights, equipment, HVAC, etc.). Depending on your goals, microgrids can be modeled using an energy balance approach in a spreadsheet.
| | 2 | No.2 Revision |
Here's a list that's probably incomplete.
I recommend HOMER (free trial and "QuickStart" web versions are available), which I've used to model on and off grid systems. One of the challenges I had was getting hourly load profiles early in design when the design engineers only had peak and monthly values (I wrote some Python functions for this purpose). However, if there are detailed building models for the project, the outputs can be used for the inputs of to the microgrid model.
Compared to building models, microgrid models can be much simpler because there are fewer inputs and the analyses typically only involve aggregated loads (electric, gas, etc.) compared to all the individual loads in an building model (lights, equipment, HVAC, etc.). Depending on your goals, use case, microgrids can also be modeled using an energy balance approach in a spreadsheet.
| | 3 | No.3 Revision |
Here's a list that's probably incomplete.
I recommend HOMER (free trial and "QuickStart" web versions are available), which I've used to model on and off grid systems. One of the challenges I had was getting hourly load profiles early in design when the design engineers only had peak and monthly values (I wrote some Python functions for this purpose). However, if there are detailed building models for the project, the outputs can be used for the inputs to the microgrid model.
Compared to building models, microgrid models can be much simpler because there are fewer inputs and the analyses typically only involve aggregated loads (electric, gas, etc.) compared to all the individual loads in an building model (lights, equipment, HVAC, etc.). Depending on your use case, microgrids can also be modeled using an energy __energy balance approach in a spreadsheet.spreadsheet__.
| | 4 | No.4 Revision |
Here's a list that's probably incomplete.
I recommend HOMER (free trial and "QuickStart" web versions are available), which I've used to model on and off grid systems. One of the challenges I had was getting hourly load profiles early in design when the design engineers only had peak and monthly values (I wrote some Python functions for this purpose). However, if there are detailed building models for the project, the outputs can be used for the inputs to the microgrid model.
Compared to building models, microgrid models can be much simpler because there are fewer inputs and the analyses typically only involve aggregated loads (electric, gas, etc.) compared to all the individual loads in an building model (lights, equipment, HVAC, etc.). Depending on your use case, microgrids can also be modeled using an __energy energy balance approach in a spreadsheet__.spreadsheet.
