Introduction
PyEPLAN is an open-source Py-thon-based E-nergy Plan-ning tool for design and operation of optimised microgrid networks. It supports functions ranging from renewable generation profile creation, network layout design to optimization of design and operation costs for microgrids packaged in four modules. Used indepently and/or jointly, the different packages provide the user with detailed analysis of short and long-term costs and benefits of different generation resources and impacts of their characteristics on system operation. The tool is customizable allowing users to neglect or input desired network characteristics, choose from a pool of generation sources both renewable and non-renewable, etc.
The initial development of the tool was funded under the UKRI GCRF project CRESUM-HYRES at the University of Leeds, but is now supported and co-developed by people in different universities (such as CUT, ICL).
In the next sections detailed information on fuctionality of each supported module, installation and usage is provided.
Functionality
The functions available in the PyEPLAN are packaged into for key modules that can be utilised independently or simultaneously:
Data Processor
The Data Processor module supports two main functionalities:
It extracts historical data on wind speed and solar radiation based on the user provided cordinates of the generation source location from on openly available satelite information and creates 24-hour daily profiles for the given period of time.
It finds representative days, based on daily profiles of load demands and power generations of renewable energy sources by applying machine learning algorithms such as K-means and Hierachical clustering. The representative days are used as operation scenarios providing the input data needed for the investment/operation planning modules.
Feeder Routing
The Feeder Routing module finds the least cost network design given the geographical distances between nodes, technical line parameters and cost of the different line types. It takes the user map coordinates of the node or load point locations and provides and optimal system layout using the minimum tree spanning algorithm.
Investment Planning
This module aims to minimise both investment costs during a long-term planning horizon (i.e., from one year to several years) under both investment and operation related techno-economic constraints. Capabilities include optimal technology sizing, sitting, capital and operation costs predictions, on-grid and off-grid modelling and uncertainity handling.
Both the investment/operation planning module may require network characteristics (i.e., candidate/existing lines) as well as long-term/short-term estimated/forecasted load demands and power generations of RESs to obtain the optimal solution. The former can be user defined or obtained from the Feeder Routing module, and the latter can as well be user defined or obtained from the Data Processor module.
Operation Planning
This module aims to minimise operation costs during a short-term planning horizon (i.e., one day, hourly) under operation related techno-economic constraints. This module can be used independently or synchronously with the investment planning module. Capabilities include adequacy analysis on-grid and off-grid, security analysis, and operation costs analysis.
Since both investment and operation planning modules include various optimisation problems, the open-source, Python-based, optimisation modelling module Pyomo is used with diverse abilities in formulating, solving, and analysing optimisation problems. Additionally, PyEPLAN can utilise a broad range of solvers both open-source and commercial as supported by Pyomo, to obtain the optimal solution in both investment and operation planning modules.
What PyEPLAN uses under the hood
It depends heavily on the following Python packages:
Other comparable software
HOMER Energy
RETScreen
Target user group
PyEPLAN is a tool intended for researchers, planners and students aiming at the creation and operation of cost-optimised resilient and sustainable microgrid networks.
Licence
PyEPLAN is released under the Apache License 2.0.