Optimizing Clean Power Everywhere
Economic Optimization
of Hybrid Renewable
Microgrids with
HOMER Pro®
John Glassmire
john@homerenergy.com
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA
http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Objectives
• Describe HOMER’s simulation-
optimization-sensitivity paradigm
• Familiarize you with the user interface
• Show you the steps to run a complete
analysis in HOMER
• Provide an opportunity to ask questions
• Prepare you to get started using HOMER!
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Agenda for today
• Lesson 1: Simulation
– Simulate a diesel-only system to meet a small
load
– Add batteries
• Lesson 2: Optimization
– Optimize the number of batteries
– Add PV
• Lesson 3: Sensitivity Analysis
– Investigate effect of fuel price assumptions
and interest rates on results
• Lesson 4: 100% Renewable Systems
– Explore some of the factors for designing a
system that relies only on renewable energy
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Agenda for next session
• Homework assignment
– Analysis task for you to complete
for next meeting
– We will review and discuss the
solution
• Address any remaining questions
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Before we begin
• Everyone should have HOMER Pro
installed and licensed
• Download Materials
– Follow link in reminder email
– Materials List
• HOMER files for each lesson (.zip)
• HOMER Pro Getting Started Guide
• Homework assignment
• Introductory Presentation (this .pdf)
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Before we begin
Show/hide
panel
Mute your
line
Full screen
mode
Raise your
hand
Chat window
Type chat
message Taskbar button if you
lose main window
Choose chat
recipient
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Before we begin
• Questions
– Please “raise your hand” if you have any
questions
– I will keep an “Ideas parking lot” in a Word
document
• For important ideas that we will re-visit later
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
The HOMER Software
• Industry standard for hybrid microgrids
– Conventional resources
– Renewable resources
– Storage
– Load Management
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
HOMER Energy, LLC
• NREL: 1992-2009
• Original developers now at HOMER Energy
• 100,000+ users in 193 countries
New users per month
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Too Many Choices
Hydro
Geothermal
Microgrids
Demand
Response
Smart grids
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
What is best?
• Depends on the application
– Resources
– Loads
– Equipment prices
– Equipment performance
• A confused mind says “No!”
• HOMER fits the pieces together
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
HOMER Analysis Layers
• Simulation
– Accurate analysis of time varying
loads and resources require an hour-
by-hour energy balance for entire year
• Optimization Sensitivity Analysis
Optimization
– Find the least cost solution
• Sensitivity Analysis
Simulation
Energy Balance
– The data is never “good enough”.
– What if….?
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Simulation
• Model system’s performance over a single
year
– 8,760 hourly energy balance calculations
• Calculate the total cost of the system over
its lifetime
– Installation costs
– Operation and maintenance (O&M) costs
– Replacement costs
– Salvage value
Optimization
• HOMER runs many Simulations to
determine an Optimal system
– “Optimal” means lowest Net Present Cost
(NPC), the present value (in $) of all costs
over the lifetime
Sensitivity Analysis
• Vary the assumptions in the HOMER model
to determine impact on the Optimal system
Let’s get started!
• If you want to follow along in HOMER, start
HOMER now.
• Remember you can switch back to
GoToTraining using the in the Taskbar.
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
Contact info
• For more information:
– Website: www.homerenergy.com
– Users’ group: homerusersgroup.ning.com
– E-mail or call
• john@homerenergy.com
• 1-720-565-4046
1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA ● http://www.homerenergy.com ● +1-720-565-4046
