A Review of Predictive Software for the Design of Community Microgrids
Table 1
Summary table of the conducted software survey.
Software
Input
Output type
Functional purpose
Target user
Superstructure (buildings in communities)
CitySim
Site location Climate data Building geometry Building type Building age Energy supply and storage systems
Graphs Bars Tables
Simulation/prediction
Architects Urban designers
SUNtool
Site location Climate data Building geometry Building type Building age Selection of renewable energy and water processing technologies Occupancy schedule
XML documents 3D false color plots 2D graphs
Simulation/prediction Optimization
Architects Urban designers
UMI
Building geometry Massing models (building envelopes, trees, shading objects, other infrastructure, and streets) Building material Occupancy schedule Building construction types
3D visualizations Graphs Charts
Simulation/prediction
Architects Urban designers
Infrastructure (electrical installation)
DER-CAM
Load profiles Electricity price data Operating costs Maintenance costs Fuel cost Physical characteristics of alternative generating, heat recovery, and cooling technologies parameters Emission constraints Sensitivity parameters
XML and HTML documents Reports Graphs
Evaluation/analysis Optimization
Engineers
HOMER
Load profile Energy input resources type and details Electrical components type and details Emission constraints Operating costs Maintenance costs Sensitivity parameters
Load profile Energy input resources type and details Electrical components type and details Operating costs Maintenance costs Interest rate Population growth rate Emission constraints
Load profile Renewable energy input resources type and details Energy station capacities, costs
Tables Graphs Charts
Evaluation/analysis
Engineers
RETScreen
Site location Load profile Energy input resources type and details Electrical components type and details Energy system costs Financial parameters such as GHG emission reduction credits, incentives, inflation, discount rate, debt, and taxes
Tables Graphs Charts
Evaluation/analysis
Engineers
PV-Design Pro
Climate data Load data (weekday and weekend, AC and DC), PV modeling (number of panels, electrical characteristics) Electrical modeling
Reports Graphs Charts
Evaluation/analysis
Engineers
PVSOL
Climate data Buildings geometry PV modeling Modeling and circuit design of the grid with all its electrical components
