Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
Get started with the Help page
Ask Your Question
2

Hourly base operation schedule for Hourly Control of PV and Battery Operation in ElectricLoadCenter Objects::PVWatts, distribution, and NCM LiIon batteries

asked 2025-06-05 09:52:43 -0500

Behnam's avatar

updated 2025-06-05 11:18:02 -0500

Hello EnergyPlus users and developers,

I hope this message finds you well.

I am currently working on configuring the ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution, ElectricLoadCenter:Storage:LiIonNMCBattery, and ElectricLoadCenter:Generators:PVWatts objects, and I have a specific question regarding control based strictly on the hour of the day.

As per the Input Output Reference, the available Generator Operation Scheme Types under ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution include: Baseload, DemandLimit, TrackElectrical, TrackSchedule, TrackMeter, FollowThermal, and FollowThermalLimitElectrical. However, these modes appear to be fundamentally based on load demand—either electrical or thermal—and not time-based scheduling.

My objective is to exert time-dependent control over the electricity generated by PVs such that:

  • During certain hours, PV-generated electricity charges the battery only,
  • During other hours, PV generation is directed exclusively to meet the building’s demand,
  • During certain hours, batteries discharges
  • And at specific times, PV generation should not contribute to the building's electrical load at all.

Is there a mechanism in EnergyPlus that allows such fine-grained, hourly control over on-site PV generation and its distribution between battery storage and building load?

Despite consulting the Input Output Reference, I have not found an explicit method to implement a time-based schedule for PV operation within the current object definitions.

I would sincerely appreciate any guidance or suggestions you may have to address this challenge.

Sincerely, Behnam Mohseni Gharyehsafa Maynooth, Ireland

edit retag flag offensive close merge delete

2 Answers

Sort by » oldest newest most voted
1

answered 2025-06-05 17:31:27 -0500

I can't say for sure if you will be able to achieve exactly what you want, but the general approach would be:

  1. Set the Storage Operation Scheme of the ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution object to "TrackChargeDischargeSchedules".

  2. Create a CSV file with two columns for charging/discharging and create two Schedule:File objects. (Or you can use Schedule:Compact or another schedule type if you find it easier.)

  3. Assign the above Schedule:File objects to the Storage Charge Power Fraction Schedule Name and Storage Discharge Power Fraction Schedule Name fields.

This assumes that you know exactly when you want to charge/discharge the battery. If instead you want to apply your logic while the simulation runs, you could instead use an EMS program to look at the PV production, building demand, time of year, etc., for a given timestep and actuate the charge/discharge schedules.

edit flag offensive delete link more
0

answered 2025-06-06 08:13:42 -0500

Behnam's avatar

Thank you very much Scott, that helped a lot.

The challenge is that the Energyplus Input Output Reference does not have complete items for the ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution.

However, I found out a good example, LrgOff_GridStorageScheduled.idf, from NREL GitHub. This IDF is formulated for the grid with no generation component inside. Then I found out another example for PV excess generation from NREL GitHub. Then, I carefully mixed these 2 IDFs with my problem characteristics.

Thanks very much for your time and assistance. Sincerely, Behnam Mohseni Gharyehsafa Maynooth, Ireland

edit flag offensive delete link more

Your Answer

Please start posting anonymously - your entry will be published after you log in or create a new account.

Add Answer

Training Workshops

Question Tools

2 followers

Stats

Asked: 2025-06-05 09:52:43 -0500

Seen: 118 times

Last updated: Jun 06