homer irvine workshop

8/12/2019 HOMER Irvine Workshop

1/21

1790 30th St, Suite 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USAhttp://www.homerenergy.com +1-720-565-4046

Optimizing the Business Case

with the HOMER Software


2/21

Who is HOMER?

NREL: 1992-2008

Original developers now at HOMER Energy

5 years of continuous, self-funded growth

107,000 users in 193 countries

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

20102009200820072006200520042003200220012000

New users per monthWesternEurope23,965

NorthAmerica

25,917Latin America9,448

Mideast7,429

Africa4,753

East Asia9,008

Oceania5,434

South Asia7,340

EasternEurope5,690

http://www.homerenergy.com


3/21

Modeling Challenge

Solar and wind are variable Needs integration with dispatchable resources

Smaller projects need simpler toolshttp://www.homerenergy.com


4/21

Too Many Choices

Hydro

Geothermal

Smart grids

Micro-grids



5/21

What is best?

It depends on: Resources

Loads

Equipment prices

Equipment performance

A confused mind says No!

HOMER fits the pieces togetherhttp://www.homerenergy.com


6/21

HOMER

Industry standard for hybrid micro-grids

Conventional resources

Renewable resources

Storage

Load Management



7/21

HOMER Analysis Layers

Simulation

Accurate analysis of time varying loads and resourcesrequire an hour-by-hour or minute-by-minute analysisfor entire year

Optimization

Find the least cost solution

Sensitivity Analysis

The data is never good enough.

What if.?

Energy BalanceSimulation

OptimizationSensitivity Analysis



8/21

Optimal System Design

What makes sense where?



9/21

Valuing Storage

3 broad categories Reliability

Backup or reserves

Power quality Frequency control, voltage control, VAR support

Reduces cost Arbitrage, peak shaving, eliminate curtailments,

prevent inefficient operation of other plants

Most valuable close to load



10/21

Another Microgrid Definition

Grid

WindGenerator

ControlsStorage

Electric Load

Provided by ZBB Energy Inc.

Solar

Components connected by wires thatare capable of operating on their own



11/21

Military Bases

Developing

Country On-

Grid

Forward

Operating

Bases

Developing

Country Off-

Grid

Fuel

SavingsReduced

Emissions

Renewable Energy

& Electric Vehicle

Grid Integration

EcotourismCampuses

IslandsMines

Emergency Services

Reliability /Resilience

Microgrid Value Proposition



12/21

Smart Clean Microgrids

Provided by ZBB Energy Inc.

Grid-connected CHP Energy access

No existing infrastructure Island Power

Real utility companies with multiple

diesels



13/21

Renewables Evolution

Entering a new era

Where are the real economics?

How do you create high penetrations?

Hint: do it in stages


Pot Farmers& Mad

ScientistsTax Shelters

RealEconomics

HighPenetrations


14/21

Where is this going?



15/21

5M barrels oil/dayburned for electricity

$180 billion per year

50-80% reduction possible

$180 billion per year

50-80% reduction possible



16/21

Unsubsidized Economics



17/21

The Coming Train Wreck



18/21

Everybodys been crying Wolf.



19/21

The Coming Utility Finance Death Spiral



20/21

Clean Power Evolution

Large utilities

Security obstacles

Regulatory obstacles

Smaller systems

Liquid fuels from oil

High renewable penetrations



21/21

Conclusion

Diesel fuel displacement is the near termmarket with real economics

Isolated utilities are the real trailblazers

Require a lower cost development process Simpler models

The larger utility market requires regulatory

change Transition in stages

We live in interesting times

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homer irvine workshop

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