ENERGY FELLOW – A Community Energy Systems Planning Tool

HARC, along with project partners University of Houston and Fugro, are creating a user-friendly webtool to promote the deployment of District Energy Systems (DES) and community microgrids, known as community energy systems (CES).

The geographic information system (GIS)-based planning tool will allow end-users to assess the feasibility of multiple CES scenarios in a 3D environment. The ability to create a digital twin of the planning area and to incorporate down-scaled climate data and energy systems model, results in a robust, practical planning tool.

A feasibility analysis for a CES can be a time-consuming process. HARC’s tool provides an unbiased, simple-to-use feasibility assessment. End-users with no engineering knowledge will be able to analyze multiple economic scenarios for a CES and be prepared to work with design and engineering teams to build out their CES.

Training Videos

Click to view the training videos:

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• Recommended Solution/ Optimal Solution:The best solution determined by analyzing various factors and conditions.

KEY FINANCIAL INDICATORS:

• Investor Goals:The financial objectives established by the user.
• Initial Invest.:The initial funding provided by the stakeholder for starting the project.
• Loan:Funds borrowed from a financial institution to finance the project.
• Annual Savings:The yearly financial savings achieved by the project when compared to the costs of a non-district system.
• NPV:Net Present Value, the total value of a project’s future cash inflows and outflows, discounted to their present value.
• IRR:Internal Rate of Return, the discount rate at which the project’s net present value becomes zero, used to evaluate the profitability of investments.
• DPP:Discounted Payback Period, the time it takes for an investment to repay its initial cost, considering the time value of money.
• Eq. Annuity:The annual payment amount that, if received each year, would have the same present value as the project’s total net present value.

PROJECT COST:

• Service:The cumulative operational costs over the life of the project.
• Maintenance:The total maintenance expenses for the entire duration of the project.
• System Replacements:The aggregate replacement cost of systems during the lifetime of the project.
• Initial Project Cost:The initial financial outlay for starting the project.

RISK and SENSITIVITY ANAYLSIS:

• Risk analysis:An analysis involving 1000 simulated scenarios to assess project risks.
• Value at Risk (Savings) MAXdNPV:The highest NPV among the 1000 simulated scenarios.
• Value at Risk (Savings) MEANdNPV:The average NPV among the 1000 simulated scenarios.
• Value at Risk (Savings) MINdNPV:The lowest NPV among the 1000 simulated scenarios.
• Probability of Obtaining Savings:The likelihood of achieving a positive NPV in the simulations.
• IRR over X% at 90% probability:The minimum IRR achieved in 90% of the simulated scenarios.
• DPP under Y years at 90% probability:The longest payback period within 90% of the simulated scenarios.
• Sensitivity:The outcome of analyzing how sensitive the IRR or DPP is to different assumptions.
• IRR Goal (over X at 90%):The target IRR to be achieved in 90% of the cases during sensitivity analysis.
• Incentive for IRR goals:The incentives needed to reach the set IRR targets.
• Additional Annual Savings for IRR goals:Additional yearly savings needed to reach the set IRR targets.
• DPP Goal (under Y at 90%):The DPP target for the project, set for sensitivity analysis.
• Incentive for DPP goals:The incentives required to achieve the DPP targets.
• Additional Annual Savings for DPP goals:Additional yearly savings needed to reach the set DPP targets.

SYSTEM PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

• Baseline:The project case created by the user before any generation systems are introduced.
• Electric Demand:The total yearly electricity requirement of the project.
• Cooling Demand:The total yearly cooling requirement of the project.
• Heating Demand:The total yearly heating requirement of the project.
• Generated On-Site:The amount of electricity produced directly at the project site.
• From the Utility:The quantity of electricity supplied to the project by the utility grid.
• Renewable Fraction:The portion of electricity generated on-site from renewable energy sources.
• Electrical Demand Total:The total yearly electricity requirement of the project for cooling/heating.
• Supplied from CHP:Total electricity requirement of the project supplied from CHP.
• Supplied from Grid:Total electricity requirement of the project supplied from the utility grid or excess electricity supplied back to the utility grid.
• Natural Gas Demand:Total natural gas requirement of the project for heating.
• Diesel Demand:Total diesel requirement of the project.
• Hydrogen Demand:Total hydrogen requirement of the project.
• Environ. Emissions:The total yearly carbon dioxide emissions from the project.
• Net Environ. Emissions:Total net yearly carbon emissions from the project, considering excess electricity supplied back to the utility grid.
• Onsite Fuel to Power Eff.:The efficiency ratio of fuel consumption to electricity generation.
• Energy to Fuel Ratio:The efficiency ratio considering fuel consumption and the generation of both electricity and heat.
• LCOE:Levelized Cost of Electricity: The average cost per unit of electricity produced.
• LCOC:Levelized Cost of Cooling: The average cost per unit of cooling produced.
• LCOH:Levelized Cost of Heating: The average cost per unit of heat produced.
• Breakeven Point:The annual amount of electricity/cooling/heating at which the cost of LCOE/LCOC/LCOH equals the grid electricity price/the cost to produce cooling from grid electricity/the cost to produce heating from grid electricity and natural gas respectively.
• Load Duration Curve:A graph showing the number of hours per year the electricity demand/cooling demand/heating demand is above a specific threshold, illustrating the project’s demand variability.

ENERGY GENERATION PERFORMANCE:

• Rated Capacity (kW)/(Tons)/(MMBTU/hr.):The optimal or user-selected capacity of a technology type for the project.
• Max Capacity (kW)/(Tons)/(MMBTU/hr.):The highest output capacity achievable by the technology.
• Avg Capacity (kW)/(Tons)/(MMBTU/hr.):The average output capacity of the technology across its operational period.
• Annual Operating Hours:The total number of hours the technology operates in a year.
• Lifespan based on Operation Hours (Years):The estimated operational lifespan of the technology for the project.
• Starts:The number of times the technology starts up in a year.
• Energy Generated (kWh/Year):The amount of electricity produced by the technology in a year.
• Thermal Output (kWh/Year):The amount of thermal energy generated by the technology in a year.
• Cooling Generated (Ton-hr./Year):The amount of cooling produced by the technology in a year.
• Heating Generated (MMBTU/Year):The amount of heat produced by the technology in a year.
• Electricity Generated (kWh/Year):The amount of electricity produced by the technology in a year.
• Electricity Consumed (kWh/Year):The amount of electricity consumption by the technology in a year.
• Fuel (kWh/Year):The annual fuel consumption of the technology in a year.
• Efficiency (%):The percentage efficiency of the technology in converting fuel to energy or the percentage efficiency of the technology in converting fuel/electricity to heat.
• COP:Coefficient Of Performance: The efficiency of chiller of converting fuel/electricity to cooling.
• Env Emissions (kg CO₂/Year):The annual carbon dioxide emissions from the technology.