HOMER OverviewDr. Peter Lilienthal

National Renewable Energy LaboratoryApril 26, 2007

Free Training Workshop Tomorrow

History

• 1993 Village Power– Internal NREL use

• 1998 Version 1.0– Publicly available Windows application

• 2001 Version 2.0– Grid-connected systems, multiple diesels,

cogen, hydrogen, emissions• 2006 Version 2.2

– Web link for solar resource data, time-of-use rates, flow batteries, real time prices

Fundamental HOMER QuestionWhat (set of) technology(ies)

is most cost-effective?

– Micropower– Renewables– Fossil–Cogeneration– Hybrids

A confused mind says “No!”

Fundamental HOMER Answer

• It depends.– Resources– Loads– Equipment prices– Equipment performance

• Many different applications

Simulation - Optimization - Sensitivity Analysis

• Simulation– Accurate analysis of time varying

loads and resources require an hour-by-hour analysis for entire year

• Optimization– Find the least cost solution

• Sensitivity Analysis– The data is never “good enough”.– What if….?

Hourly Energy Balance

Simulation

Optimization

Sensitivity Analysis

HOMER is Flexible

• Rough estimated inputs for general analysis– Annual averages for resources and loads– Cost per kW or unit for equipment

• Detailed inputs for system design– Measured hourly data– Detailed cost curves– Create your own wind turbine, battery, fuels

Answers from HOMER

• Optimal System Design

• Cost Breakdowns and Comparisons

• Resource Analysis

• Technology Development Targets

• Policy Analysis

• Operational Analysis

Optimal System Design

• What kind of system is best under which conditions?

Wind-Diesel Cogeneration

What is the minimum fuel price for wind-diesel to be cost-effective?

Does it depend on the size of the thermal load?

Cost Breakdowns and Comparisons

Resource Analysis

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec0

6

12

18

24

Ho

ur o

f Day

Global Solar Radiation

Day of Year

0.00

0.12

0.24

0.36

0.48

0.60

0.72

0.84

0.96

1.08

1.20kW/m2

Complimentary resourcesCompare different resources

Examine impacts of:• azimuth & tilt with TOU rates• tower height & power curve

Technology Development Targets

What is the required decrease in fuel cell cost?

What is the required increase in lifetime?

0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.70.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

FC

Cap

ital Mu

ltiplier

Optimal System Type

Diesel Price ($/L)

System Types

Grid/MT

Grid/Dsl

Grid

Grid/FC

Policy Analysis

• Cost of emission constraints

0 5,000 10,000 15,0000.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

Levelized

Co

st of E

nerg

y ($/kWh

)

Levelized Cost of Energy vs. Max. CO2 Emissions

Max. CO2 Emissions (kg/yr)

Operational Analysis

• When is backup power needed?

Jul 10 Jul 11

-5

0

5

Po

wer (kW

)

AC Primary LoadPV Pow erDiesel Pow erBattery Pow er

Other HOMER Applications

• Net Metering

• Time of day rates

• Emissions

• Irrigation in the Central Valley

HOMER Around the World

• Over 14,000 total downloads

• 184 countries

• Over 2,600 active users

India, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, China, Chile, Philippines

Canada, Australia, Spain, Germany, U.K, France, Italy, Greece

Top countries:

September 2006

September 2006

Selected US Applications

• GE 27 registered users developing new technologies and distributed generation projects

• Northern Power Systems “HOMER is a unique and valuable tool for our core business. HOMER represents the state-of-the-art for analysis of these applications.”

• Southwest Windpower created marketing and dealer education materials with HOMER.

• Sharp Solar Systems “found HOMER to be incredibly robust and the best application available for system comparison among the 15 or so programs covered.”

More Private Sector Applications• Manufacturers

– Capstone, Plug Power, Cummins, John Deere– Propane Education and Research Council

• Designing new engine designs for hybrids

• Energy Service Companies– Noresco worked with FEMP to develop renewable projects

• Venture Capital– Black Emerald, Chevron Technology Ventures

• Center for Army Analysis– Transportable Hybrid Electric Power Stations

• Storage Technologies– ZBB, Beacon Power, Powercorp– VRB funded major enhancements to HOMER

• Islands– Alaska requiring HOMER analysis for all retrofits to 181 diesel-powered

villages– Hawaii & Trust Territories using HOMER for EPACT compliance– Major international market for liquid fueled grids

• System Integrators– Black & Veatch– Draker Solar designing ground water remediation projects

Selected US Industry HOMER users

ABBAerovironmentAir ProductsAlaska Energy and EngineeringAltair EnergyAmerescoAntaresApplied MaterialsAppplied Power CorporationAPSAquilaArchitectural EnergyAWS ScientificBarber-NicholsBeacon PowerBechtelBergey WindpowerBlack & VeatchBlack Emerald GroupBlue Sky EngineeringBoeing Phantom WorksBoeingBooz Allen HamiltonBP AmericaBristol Bay Native Corp.Capstone TurbineCH2M HillChemonics InternationalChevron Technology VenturesCinergy CorpCommunity Power CorporationConsolidated Edison of New YorkCORE InternationalCummins Power GenerationDistributed Generation Systems, Inc.Distributed Utility Associates

Draker Solar DesignDTE Energy TechnologiesE3 Energy Services, Inc.EconergyEnergy and Security GroupEnergy Conversion DevicesEntegrity Wind Systems IncFlorida Power and LightGEGeneral AtomicsGlobal Energy ConceptsGreen Mountain EngineeringGridPointGT Energy LLCHamilton SundstrandHawaii Electric Light CompanyHoneywell InternationalICF ConsultingIntelligent EnergyItronJohn DeereKyocera Solar, IncLorax Energy Systems, LLCMidAmerican Energy HoldingsNavigant ConsultingNevada Power CompanyNexant Inc.NorescoNorthern Power SystemsORMAT INTERNATIONALPA Consulting GroupPERIPinnacle Technology, Inc.Plug PowerPolarconsult Alaska, Inc.Powercorp Alaska

PPG IncPPL Energy ServicesProton Energy SystemsPSE&GPuget Sound EnergyRed Mountain Energy PartnersRemote Power Inc.Resource Dynamics Corp.Rolls-Royce Corp.RWE Schott Solar Inc.Sacred Power CorporationScripps HowardSDGESempra Energy ServicesSentech, Inc.Shaw PTISiemens Building TechnologiesSouthern States Power Company, IncSouthwest PV Systems, Inc.Southwest WindpowerSpire CorporationSquare D CompanySunWize TechnologiesSustainable AutomationTDX Power, Inc.Tennessee Valley Infrastructure GroupTexacoThe AES CorporationTrexler and AssociatesUnited Parcel ServiceUnited TechnologiesVail resortsVRB Power Systems IncWorldWater CorporationXCel EnergyZBB Technologies, Inc

Availability

• HOMER can be downloaded at no cost from: www.nrel.gov/homer .

• Register for tomorrow’s training workshop• For more information:

– Dr. Peter Lilienthal• 303-384-7444 office• 303-204-3575 mobile• peter_lilienthal@nrel.gov