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Simulation System Update Notes

These update notes cover the latest features added to the simulation system, including new commands for price loading, storage optimal bidding, file management improvements, and database update procedures.

Efficiency & Price Loading​

A new command has been introduced to allow users to load pre-existing price data instead of running a full dispatch simulation.

The -NoDisp Command​

  • Functionality: Using the command -NoDisp 1 turns off the dispatch optimization.
  • Bypassing the Run Option: When this command is active, you do not need to use the -run option.
  • Evaluating Scenarios: It bypasses the dispatch optimization and instead uses the prices from the loaded CSV file to value whatever is in the customer meter data profile.
  • Generating Files: The command will still calculate prices and generate a CSV file and specific reports, but without running generation dispatch.

Loading the Prices CSV (-p)​

  • File Location: The Prices CSV file is located under the Prices folder in the specific Scenario folder.
  • Generation: This file is generated when you run a historical or standard simulation.
  • Scenario Application: It allows you to test different scenarios with different prices, optimize a particular storage, or price a portfolio without rerunning the full simulation.

Storage Optimal Bidding (-opbid)​

The system can now create an optimal bid for a specified storage system.

The OptBid_STO Report​

  • Generation: It generates an optimal bid report file (e.g., OptBid_STO) that uses the provided prices to find the optimal bid price for the storage without running a full dispatch simulation.
  • Property Details: The report details the storage battery's ID, maximum capacity, minimum capacity, discharge efficiency, charge efficiency, and target capacity.
  • Profit Calculation: It calculates estimated revenue per megawatt and compares revenue against the charging cost to maximize the estimated profit. It continues to find the best pair of generation and demand as long as the profit is increasing.
  • Cycle Tracking: The system estimates the number of full charges or "state of charge" cycles. It calculates this by taking the amount of generation and dividing it by the megawatt-hour capacity to find the number of estimated full cycles.

Optimization Stopping Conditions​

The system stops optimizing based on these primary conditions:

  • If a specified target capacity factor is exceeded.
  • If the estimated profit starts to decrease.

File Saving and EMP Management​

Automatic Saving (-s)​

  • Double Saving: If the -s command is included in the batch file, the system will save the scenario twice: once before the simulation and once after it finishes to save the results.
  • Condition: If the -s parameter is not present, it will not save.

Managing Large EMP Files​

  • EMP File Purpose: The EMP file is a binary file used by iPool to load reports, bids, and other detailed data not found in CSV files.
  • File Size: EMP files can become very large (e.g., 37.7 MB for just 7 days of data), while CSV files remain small.

Portfolios and Meter Data (-df)​

The Demand File Command​

  • Loading Data: The -df command loads the meter data (demand file) for the customer.
  • File Structure: The meter data file contains the names of the meters (e.g., commercial customer, solar customer, industrial) and their respective profiles.
  • Portfolio Valuation: If you have a portfolio of loads and generators, it will calculate the total revenue and profit of the entire portfolio.
  • Retailer Metrics: The report details the cost to supply customers, showing the selling price, buying price, profit, and percent margin, making it highly useful for retailers.

Database Updating Protocols (for future updates)​

To ensure the database is updated according to the Market Network Model (MNM), follow these regular update steps:

  • Weekly Updates (CAPEG): Include one CAPEG file per week (specifically for the Monday of that week) in the daily WESM files update to update station/unit capacities.
  • Monthly Updates (Gen List): Load the mnm genlist file every month to update station names.
  • File Placement: Unzip and place these files within the scenario reference folder.