Conversion Technology Parameters
Technology Name
Definition: The name of the technology; must be unique within scenario.
Virtual Technology
Definition: A virtual technology is a technology used purely for accounting purposes in the optimization. It converts one energy carrier to another at zero cost and with 100% efficiency. If set to true, the efficiency, costs and other values will automatically be fixed to these values. This can be used, for instance, to convert one energy carrier into another operationally equivalent one (e.g. biogas to gas, or renewable electricity to electricity).
Stages
Definition: List of stages where the installation and operation of this technology are permitted.
Hubs
Definition: List of hubs where the installation and operation of this technology are permitted.
Installation Options
Definition: These options are mutually exclusive, meaning only one can be selected at a time.
Can be installed: The technology may be installed in one or more of the selected hubs.
Must be installed: The technology will be installed in all of the selected hubs.
Must be installed in at least one hub: The technology will be installed in at least one of the selected hubs.
Default: Can be installed
Primary Modes
Definition: At least one primary mode must be selected. The primary modes of a technology define which modes will be used to calculate costs that depend on capacity.
Seasonal & Hourly Operation
Definition: Specifies the allowed seasons for the technology's operation. If hourly operation is selected, a profile can be uploaded with values ranging from 100% to 0%, indicating the maximum allowable operation per hour as a percentage of the installed capacity.
Input Energy Carriers
Definition: The input energy carriers of a technology mode; multiple may be selected.
Output Energy Carriers
Definition: The output energy carriers of a technology mode; multiple may be selected.
Input EC Share
Definition: For multi-input technologies, this field defines the ratio between the inputs, representing the share of energy contributed by each Energy Carrier (EC). These values are absolute and can exceed 100.
Output EC Efficiency
Definition: The conversion efficiency associated with producing a specific energy carrier (EC) in a given mode, relative to the total sum of inputs.
Unit: %
Primary Output
Definition: Each technology mode must have a primary output energy carrier. This carrier defines the technology mode’s capacity, which is utilized to calculate capacity-dependent costs.
Technology Capacity
Definition: Select whether to Optimize the capacity or Specify Capacity manually.
Capacity
Definition: The pre-defined fixed capacity of the technology mode, determined by the primary output energy carriers. This is only visible if the Specify Capacity option is selected for Technology Capacity.
Unit: kW
Maximum Capacity
Definition: The maximum allowable capacity of the technology mode, determined by the primary output energy carriers. This is only visible if the Optimize option is selected for Technology Capacity.
Unit: kW
Minimum Capacity
Definition: The minimum allowable capacity of the technology mode, determined by the primary output energy carriers. This is only visible if the Optimize option is selected for Technology Capacity.
Unit: kW
Maximum Annual Output
Definition: The maximum allowable annual energy output of the technology mode, determined by the primary output energy carriers.
Unit: kWh/year
Minimum Annual Output
Definition: The minimum allowable annual energy output of the technology mode, determined by the primary output energy carriers.
Unit: kWh/year
Curtailment Limitation
Definition: The percentage of maximum power capacity that cannot be curtailed. For example, 100% indicates that no curtailment is possible.
Unit: %
Default: 100%
Peak Power
Definition: This represents the ratio of maximum operational power to installed capacity. It enables a mode to operate at higher or lower power levels without impacting the installed capacity, and consequently, the associated costs.
Unit: kWmax/kW
Default: 1
Minimum Part Load
Definition: If the minimum part load is greater than 0%, it signifies that the specific technology has a lower operational capacity limit, expressed as a percentage of the installed capacity.
Unit: %
Minimum Up Time
Definition: This constraints the mode to remain operational for a minimum number of hours once it has started.
Unit: Hours
Minimum Down Time
Definition: This constraints the mode to remain non-operational for a minimum number of hours once it has been shut down.
Unit: Hours
Simultaneous Operation
Definition: Setting this to False will prevent this mode from operating simultaneously with other modes specified within this technology.
Default: True
Lifetime
Definition: The technical lifetime of the technology, expressed in years, which serves as the basis for calculating replacement costs and salvage value.
Unit: Years
Fixed Investment Cost
Definition: The fixed investment costs associated with the technology, incurred as a specified amount upon installation, regardless of the size.
Unit: Currency
Variable Investment Cost
Definition: The variable investment costs of the technology per kilowatt (kW) of installed capacity, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: Currency/kW
Fixed O&M Cost
Definition: The operation and maintenance costs of the technology that are incurred as a fixed amount each year.
Unit: Currency/year
Variable O&M Cost
Definition: The operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of the technology, incurred as a variable amount each year. The total amount is determined by the sum of the following options:
As percentage of total investment
Total investment is the sum of fixed and variable investment costs.
Unit: %/year
As per installed kW
Based on the capacity installed, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: Currency/kW/year
As per total production
Based on total production, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: Currency/kWh/year
Fixed Replacement Cost
Definition: The fixed replacement costs associated with the technology, incurred as a specified amount when the technology is replaced (i.e., at the end of its technical lifetime), regardless of size.
Unit: Currency/year
Variable Replacement Cost
Definition: The variable replacement costs of the technology, incurred as a variable amount when the technology is replaced (i.e., at the end of its technical lifetime). The total amount is determined by the sum of the following options:
As percentage of total investment
Total investment is the sum of fixed and variable investment costs.
Unit: %
As per installed kW
Based on the capacity installed, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: Currency/kW
Fixed Salvage Value
Definition: The fixed salvage value associated with the technology, incurred as a specified amount when the technology is salvaged (i.e., at the end of an investment stage, see Stages), regardless of size.
Unit: Currency/year
Variable Salvage Value
Definition: The variable salvage value of the technology, incurred as a variable amount when the technology is salvaged (i.e., at the end of an investment stage, see Stages). The total amount is determined by the sum of the following options:
As percentage of total investment
Total investment is the sum of fixed and variable investment costs.
Unit: %
As per installed kW
Based on the capacity installed, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: Currency/kW
Fixed Embodied CO2
Definition: The fixed embodied CO2 associated with the technology, incurred as a specified amount when the technology is installed, regardless of size.
Unit: kg-CO2
Variable Embodied CO2
Definition: The variable embodied CO2 associated with the technology, incurred as a variable amount. The total amount is determined by the sum of the following options:
As per installed kW
Based on the capacity installed, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: kg-CO2/kW
As per total production
Based on total production, determined by the primary output energy carriers of the primary modes.
Unit: kg-CO2/kWh/year
Variable Captured CO2
Definition: The CO2 captured during the technology operation expressed in per kWh of the total input energy carrier of the primary modes of a technology.
Unit: kg-CO2/kWh/year
Certain advanced parameters are not available to all plan users, but can be added through our add-on options. Contact our customer support team for a demo and discuss how we could customize these options to your needs.