Topic: Order of Transformation modulesSubscribe | Previous | Next
Argiro Roinioti 3/17/2011
1 Like 2448 Views Hello,
I ran a test scenario with no future adjustments and Diagnostics indicate a problem with some of the Transformation modules:
-Electricity is consumed (as an auxiliary fuel) in Lignite mining but produced by higher-up module Oil refining.
-Electricity is also consumed in Oil and Gas extraction (again as an auxiliary fuel), but is produced by higher-up module.
The problem is I cannot move Electricity Generation below Lignite Mining or Oil extraction, because lignite and oil are fuels used for Electricity production.
Have you got any idea how to deal with this issue? The alternative is to remove electricity as an auxiliary fuel in the forementioned modules, but this would not comply with national energy consumption data.
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Argiro
Tory Clark 3/17/2011
2446 Views Hi Argiro,
It is possible to set-up more complex systems where the outputs of one transformation module are needed as inputs (feedstocks or auxiliary fuel requirements) by another module that appears further down in the list of modules. LEAP deals with this situation by using an iterative calculation technique.
To read more on this, please see the link below:
Best,
Tory
Argiro Roinioti 3/17/2011
2444 Views Hello Tory,
I checked the link you sent me and I noticed this:
"LEAP will only iterate calculations for fuels listed as secondary fuels (including electricity), and which have also had their resource property set to disallow imports".
However, in my case there is some import of electricity, so I cannot disallow imports for electricity. Is there something else I can do? Should I remove electricity as an auxiliary fuel instead?
Thank you for your quick response.
Argiro
Tory Clark 3/17/2011
2443 Views Argiro,
In this case, disallowing imports only refers to importing to meet unmet requirements. If you set the resource property to be "Iterate calculations: use upstream modules to meet any remaining requirements" it will ensure that auxiliary fuels will be used from upstream modules rather than imported.
As long as you have an import target set or output properties set to import electricity to meet shortfall in your electricity transformation module, LEAP will still import electricity.
Try it out to see how it works!
Tory
Argiro Roinioti 3/17/2011
Argiro Roinioti 3/31/2011
2407 Views Hello again Tory,
I tried running a test again, having changed the resource property of electricity as you said, this time.
These diagnostics occured:
http://rapidshare.com/files/455264309/diagnostics.png
Does this mean that the iterative calculation worked fine?
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Argiro
Tory Clark 3/31/2011
2404 Views Hi Argiro,
The message you are referring to, "Modules may be out of order. Fuel "Electricity" is consumed in module X but produced by higher-up module Y," is just a general message. You can see that in that same year there is an iteration that happens.
However, it is hard to follow the iterations because it seems like there is an issue of scale in your model. It looks like in the year 2008 you have an electricity output of about 200 Million GJ of electricity but you have a demand of about 2 Trillion GJ. I would first debug your Tertiary sector for electricity demand and see if everything is correct there.
Once you fix the scale of the model it will be easier to see the iterations.
Tory
Argiro Roinioti 4/5/2011
2390 Views Hello again Tory,
I think the iterations are making more sense now, I have corrected the scale problem.
http://rapidshare.com/files/456012657/diagnostics.png
I also have another question, could I break the electricity production module in two different ones, let's say one for the mainland and one for the islands, without having any problem?
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Argiro
Tory Clark 4/5/2011
2371 Views Hi Argiro,
I do not recommend using more than one electricity production module for most situations. If you have 2 modules, LEAP will try to meet all of the electricity demand within the first (highest) module and then moves on to the next module. This method would not allow for any endogenous capacity additions or any automatic imports to meet shortfall, because requirements would only be seen in the first module.
In addition, if you had the mainland module below the island module, this would simulate dispatching all of the mainland power plants to meet electricity demand only after dispatching island power plants, which may not be accurate.
Transformation Calculations: http://tinyurl.com/28y3y84
Tory
Argiro Roinioti 4/12/2011
2362 Views Hello Tory,
Thank you for your response. I would just like to note that the mainland system is the interconnected system, while the islands have mostly autonomous producers.Does this change in any way your answer?
Thank you very much for your valuable help.
Sincerely,
Argiro
Tory Clark 4/12/2011
2361 Views There are some situations where you might want to have separate electricity generation modules such as combined heat and power plants or small distributed systems.
In these cases you would want the smaller systems to be the first modules considered in transformation calculations, meaning they should be higher in the LEAP tree structure (remember that energy flows up and calculations flow down the LEAP tree). This set up will use the smaller system transformation module (e.g. distributed generation) to meet a small portion of demand and then use the larger module below to meet all of the rest of electricity demand.
The key here is to remember that for that higher module you can only use exogenous capacity (i.e. no capacity added endogenously) and you must set output properties of that module to leave additional requirements unmet (i.e. no automatic imports of electricity). You must also be very careful about how you set up capacity in the higher module, so that you end up with an accurate representation of technology capacity, dispatch and generation.
Tory
Josefine Larsson 10/24/2011
2127 Views Hi Tory,
I have some problems with my model, (I tried to email the model and question directly from LEAP, but I am not sure it worked, so there is a chance you’ll get this question twice.) My model: http://www.savefile.com/dl/48ZPKYVS
Password:98765.
First, the two heat process steps is not connected in the energy flow diagram and I don’t know why. I’ve tried everything, like excluding the Industrial Waste Heat technology, but there was no change.
Second, I still got some problems with the order of transformation module. Is there some way you can define how much heat each group of processes in every module will produce? If I have the Heat-only Boiler Station first it will meet all heating demand before going on to the next module, and there will be too much production in Heat only Boiler Stations. If I instead put the Heat only Boiler Station last it will not produce enough to make it seem accurate to reality and it will be difficult to make any conclusions.
Lastly, how can I include the issue of resource depletion in my model?
Josefine
Tory Clark 10/25/2011
2121 Views Hi Josefine,
Thank you for your model.
My initial sense on the energy flow diagram (which I assume you mean the diagram view showing the flow of energy through each module) is that this is not a problem with your model but rather a system too complex to be represented by the diagram view. This view is intended to show a simplified energy flow diagram of your system, but it doesn't surprise me that multiple heat transformation modules are not fully represented there. I recommend focusing on the results view to ensure calculations are done correctly rather than relying on the diagram view.
Unfortunately I do not have significant time to review your model immediately, but I will try to get to it within the next week.
In terms of resources, have you read the LEAP help on resources analyses or reviewed the LEAP training exercises which include such an analysis (Exercise 3.5)?
LEAP Help: http://energycommunity.org/WebHelpPro/Resources/Resource_Data.htm
Best,
Tory
Josefine Larsson 10/28/2011
2110 Views Hi Tory,
Thanks for your help.
I wonder if it is possible in some way to include all modules in the cost optimization and not just the processes in my Heat only Boiler Station.
http://www.savefile.com/dl/2H9GCW3P, Same password, 98765.
In my model the biomass heat only boiler transformation decreases but biomass fuelled CHP remains constant when I simulate my reference scenario.
I also wonder if it is possible to include yearly fluctuating electricity rates?
Is it possible to see season variations showing how LEAP dispatches fuels over the year?
Josefine
Tory Clark 10/28/2011
2109 Views Hi Josefine,
The linear programing optimization engine (OSEMOSYS) included in LEAP 2011 only works at the module level, not for multiple modules together or a whole energy system.
If by yearly rates you mean $/kWh as a cost of electricity produced, then yes, you can enter this in the Transformation/Electricity Generation/Output Fuels : Output Price variable. This variable accepts all expressions, so it can vary by eyar and scenario.
The best way to view results of an electricity generation module broken down by hours in the year is by going to Transformation: Power Dispatched in Results view. When sorted by branch, this chart/table will show you the MW (be careful, not MWh) of dispatched power by process for each time slice you have set up in a given year. This will be broken down either by hours (hour 0-1000), season or month, depending on how you have set up your time slices.
Best,
Tory