Asset types

Scope and overview

Assets represent the physical or logical components that each user may install or operate in the Energy Community. Each asset is defined by:

• its type (renewable, battery, heat pump, storage, etc.)
• techno-economic parameters (CAPEX, O&M, lifetime)
• operational constraints
• a profile section defining time-series inputs

Example

asset_name:
  PV:
    type: <asset_type>
    ...
    profile:
      ...

Below are examples of the most common asset types supported by EnergyCommunity.jl.

Fixed Electrical Loads

Fixed electrical loads represent non-flexible electricity demand that must be met exactly at each timestep. They follow a predefined time-series profile and cannot shift or store energy.

Example

load:
  type: load
  profile:
    load: load_user1     # column name representing the electrical demand profile

Parameters

The full list of parameters for fixed electrical load assets is shown below:

Renewable Assets (PV, Wind, run-of-river, ...)

Renewable generators convert environmental resources into electricity. Their production depends on a per-unit availability profile (ren_pu), typically taken from a time-series dataset such as PV or wind capacity factors.

PV:
  type: renewable
  CAPEX_lin: 1700       # €/kW
  OEM_lin: 30           # €/kW/y
  lifetime_y: 25        # years
  max_capacity: 300     # kW
  profile:
    ren_pu: pv          # name of column with PV availability

Renewable assets define:

• capital and operating costs,
• lifetime,
• capacity limit,
• a profile: pointing to time-series production.

Parameters

The full list of parameters for renewable assets is shown below:

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Batteries store electrical energy and are characterized by:

• round-trip efficiency,
• minimum/maximum state of charge,
• C-rate limits (charge/discharge),
• link to a converter that manages AC/DC conversion.

Example: Battery

batt:
  type: battery
  CAPEX_lin: 400        # €/kWh
  OEM_lin: 5            # €/kWh/y
  lifetime_y: 15        # years
  eta: 0.92             # round-trip efficiency
  max_SOC: 1.0          # upper SOC limit
  min_SOC: 0.2          # lower SOC limit
  max_capacity: 60      # kW power limit
  max_C_dch: 1.0        # max discharge C-rate
  max_C_ch: 1.0         # max charge C-rate
  corr_asset: conv      # associated converter asset

Parameters

The full list of parameters for battery assets is shown below:

Converter

Converters interface DC storage (batteries) with the AC electrical system. They enforce power limits, efficiency, and allowable charge/discharge directions.

Example: Converter

conv:
  type: converter
  CAPEX_lin: 200        # €/kW
  OEM_lin: 2            # €/kW/y
  lifetime_y: 10        # years
  eta: 1.0              # electrical efficiency
  max_dch: 1.0          # max discharge fraction
  min_ch: 0.1           # min charge fraction
  max_capacity: 60      # kW power rating
  corr_asset: batt      # linked battery

Parameters

The full list of parameters for converter assets is shown below:

Heat Pump

Heat pumps couple the electrical and thermal sectors. They can operate in:

• heating mode (COP > 1),
• cooling mode (EER > 1),

and their performance depends on external and internal temperature profiles.

Example: Heat Pump

hp:
  type: heat_pump
  CAPEX_lin: 1300       # €/kW (electrical)
  OEM_lin: 15           # €/kW/y
  lifetime_y: 20        # years

  COP_c1: 2.3           # COP at T_c1
  COP_c2: 2.7           # COP at T_c2
  EER_h1: 3.0           # EER at T_h1
  EER_h2: 2.6           # EER at T_h2

  T_c1: 2.0             # reference external temp for COP_c1
  T_c2: 7.0             # reference external temp for COP_c2
  T_h: 55.0             # delivery/condensation temp (heating)
  T_h1: 30.0            # reference external temp for EER_h1
  T_h2: 35.0            # reference external temp for EER_h2
  T_c: 7.0              # evaporator temp (cooling mode)

  delta_T_approach: 5.0 # °C, temp approach margin
  max_capacity: 50      # kW electrical input power

  profile:
    T_int: T_int        # internal temperature time series
    T_ext: T_ext        # external temperature time series

Parameters

The full list of parameters for heat pump assets is shown below:

Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

Thermal storage allows shifting heat production over time. It is modeled with:

• energy capacity (based on water volume and heat capacity),
• thermal losses depending on temperature gradients,
• heating and cooling operating temperatures.

Example: TES Tank

tes:
  type: storage
  CAPEX_lin: 1          # €/l
  OEM_lin: 0.005        # €/l/y
  lifetime_y: 35        # years

  eta: 0.9              # storage efficiency
  max_capacity: 50000   # liters
  cp: 0.00116           # kWh/l°C, specific heat capacity
  b_tr_x: 0.5           # thermal exposure factor
  k: 0.0003             # kWh/h°C, heat loss coefficient

  T_ref_heat: 50.0      # °C, reference temperature for heating mode
  T_ref_cool: 10.0      # °C, reference temperature for cooling mode

  profile:
    T_int: T_int        # internal air temperature
    T_ext: T_ext        # external air temperature

Parameters

The full list of parameters for thermal storage assets is shown below:

Boiler (Fuel-Fired Thermal Generator)

Boilers convert fuel (e.g., methane) into heat. Their operation is modeled through:

• thermal efficiency,
• fuel consumption characteristics,
• maximum thermal output,
• optional commitment-related operating costs.

Example: Boiler

boil:
  type: boiler
  CAPEX_lin: 250        # €/kW
  OEM_lin: 10           # €/kW/y
  OEM_com: 0.02         # €/kWh/y, variable O&M from commitment
  lifetime_y: 20        # years

  eta: 0.94             # thermal efficiency
  PCI: 9.97             # kWh/m³, lower heating value of fuel
  fuel_price: 0.2       # €/m³

  max_capacity: 60      # kWth maximum thermal output

Parameters

The full list of parameters for boiler assets is shown below:

Thermal Loads

Thermal loads represent time-dependent heating or cooling demand. They can be served by:

• heat pumps,
• boilers,
• thermal energy storage (TES).

The operating mode is determined by a profile value:

• +1 → heating mode
• −1 → cooling mode

Example: Thermal Load

t_load:
  type: t_load
  corr_asset: [hp, boil, tes]   # assets that can satisfy this demand
  profile:
    t_load: t_load_u1_heat_cool # time-series for thermal demand
    mode: mode                  # heating (+1) or cooling (-1)

Parameters

The full list of parameters for thermal load assets is shown below:

Adjustable Electrical Loads

Adjustable loads behave like a small virtual battery:

• they can withdraw power from the grid,
• they can feed power back (optional),
• they track an internal "energy" state,
• they must respect min/max energy and power bounds.

They allow modeling:

• EV charging,
• flexible appliances,
• shiftable industrial loads.

Example: Adjustable Load

load_adj:
  type: load_adj

  eta_P: 0.95               # efficiency when supplying (discharging)
  eta_N: 0.95               # efficiency when absorbing (charging)

  profile:
    energy_exchange: load_user1_adj   # exogenous energy variations
    max_supply: max_supply_user1      # max power supplied to grid
    max_withdrawal: max_withdrawal_user1
    min_energy: min_energy_user1      # minimum allowed "energy" state
    max_energy: max_energy_user1      # maximum allowed "energy" state

Parameters

The full list of parameters for adjustable load assets is shown below: