Input parameters¶

Parameters in each category/CSV file¶

Important note: Each asset and bus needs to have an unique label. In the csv input files, these are defined by the column headers. The input parameters are gathered under the following categories. These categories reflect the structure of the csv input files or the firsts keys of the json input file.

constraints.csv¶

The file constraints.csv includes the following parameter(s):

maximum_emissions
minimal_degree_of_autonomy
minimal_renewable_factor
net_zero_energy

economic_data.csv¶

The file economic_data.csv includes all economic data that the simulation will use. This includes the following parameters:

currency
discount_factor
project_duration
tax

energyBusses.csv¶

The file energyBusses.csv defines all busses required to build the energy system. It includes following parameters:

energyVector

energyConsumption.csv¶

The file energyConsumption.csv defines all energy demands that should be included in the energy system. It includes the following parameters:

energyVector
file_name
inflow_direction
outflow_direction
type_oemof
unit

energyConversion.csv¶

The file energyConversion.csv defines the assets that convert one energy carrier into another one, eg. inverters or generators. Following parameters define them:

age_installed
development_costs
dispatch_price
efficiency
energyVector
inflow_direction
installedCap
lifetime
optimizeCap
outflow_direction
specific_costs
specific_costs_om
type_oemof
unit

energyProduction.csv¶

The file energyProduction.csv defines the assets that serve as energy sources, eg. fuel sources or PV plants. They include the following parameters:

age_installed
development_costs
dispatch_price
emission_factor
energyVector
file_name
installedCap
lifetime
maximumCap
optimizeCap
renewableAsset
specific_costs
specific_costs_om
type_oemof
unit

energyProviders.csv¶

The file energyProviders.csv defines the energy providers of the energy system. They include the following parameters:

emission_factor
energy_price
energyVector
feedin_tariff
inflow_direction
optimizeCap
outflow_direction
peak_demand_pricing
peak_demand_pricing_period
renewable_share
type_oemof
unit

energyStorage.csv¶

The file energyStorage.csv defines the storage assets included in the energy system. It does not hold all needed parameters, but requires storage_xx.csv to be defined as well. The file energyStorage.csv includes the following parameters:

energyVector
file_name
inflow_direction
optimizeCap
outflow_direction
storage_filename
type_oemof

fixcost.csv¶

The parameters must be filled for all three columns/components namely: distribution_grid, engineering and operation. The file fixcost.csv includes the following parameters:

development_costs
dispatch_price
label
lifetime
specific_costs
specific_costs_om

project_data.csv¶

The file project_data.csv includes the following parameters:

country
latitude
longitude
project_id
project_name
scenario_description
scenario_id
scenario_name

simulation_settings.csv¶

The file simulation_settings.csv includes the following parameters:

evaluated_period
output_lp_file
start_date
timestep

storage_*.csv¶

The * in the storage filename is the number identifying the storage. It depends on the number of storage components (such as batteries, etc.) present in the system. For e.g., there should be two storage files named storage_01.csv and storage_02.csv if the system contains two storage components.The file storage_xx.csv contains the following parameters:

c-rate
development_costs
dispatch_price
efficiency
fixed_thermal_losses_absolute
fixed_thermal_losses_relative
installedCap
lifetime
soc_initial
soc_max
soc_min
specific_costs
specific_costs_om
unit

Table of parameters¶

The input parameters are gathered in the table below. Each parameter is provided with unit, type and example values. For more information about one parameter, please click on it.

Parameters summary¶
Parameter	Type	Unit	Default
age_installed	numeric	Year	None
c-rate	numeric	Factor	None
country	str	None	None
currency	str	None	None
development_costs	numeric	currency	None
discount_factor	numeric	Factor	None
dispatch_price	numeric	currency/kWh	None
efficiency	numeric	Factor	None
emission_factor	numeric	kgCO2eq/asset unit	None
energy_price	numeric	currency/energy carrier unit	None
energyVector	str	None	None
evaluated_period	numeric	Day	None
feedin_tariff	numeric	currency/kWh	None
file_name	str	None	None
fixed_thermal_losses_absolute	numeric	factor	0
fixed_thermal_losses_relative	numeric	factor	0
inflow_direction	str	None	None
installedCap	numeric	kWp	None
label	str	None	None
latitude	numeric	None	None
lifetime	numeric	Year	None
longitude	numeric	None	None
maximum_emissions	numeric	kgCO2eq/a	None
maximumCap	numeric	kWp	None
minimal_degree_of_autonomy	numeric	factor	None
minimal_renewable_factor	numeric	factor	None
net_zero_energy	boolean	None	False
optimizeCap	boolean	None	None
outflow_direction	str	None	None
output_lp_file	boolean	None	None
peak_demand_pricing	numeric	currency/kW	None
peak_demand_pricing_period	numeric	times per year (1,2,3,4,6,12)	None
project_duration	numeric	Years	None
project_id	str	None	None
project_name	str	None	None
renewable_share	numeric	Factor	None
renewableAsset	boolean	None	None
scenario_description	str	None	None
scenario_id	str	None	None
scenario_name	str	None	None
soc_initial	numeric	None or factor	None
soc_max	numeric	Factor	None
soc_min	numeric	Factor	None
specific_costs	numeric	currency/unit	None
specific_costs_om	numeric	currency/unit/year	None
start_date	str	None	None
storage_filename	str	None	None
tax	numeric	Factor	None
timestep	numeric	Minutes	None
type_oemof	str	None	None
unit	str		None

List of parameters¶

Below is the list of all the parameters of MVS, sorted in alphabetical order. Each of the parameters has the following properties

Definition: parameter’s definition, could also contain potential use cases of the parameter
Type: str (text), numeric (integer or double precision number), boolean (True or False)
Unit: physical unit
Example: an example of parameter’s value
Restrictions: specific restrictions on the parameter’s value (e.g., “positive integer number”, “must be an even number”, “must be one of [‘val1’, ‘val2’]”
Default: default parameter’s value

age_installed¶

Definition: The number of years the asset has already been in operation.
Type: numeric
Unit: Year
Example: 10
Restrictions: Natural number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv

c-rate¶

Definition: C-rate is the rate at which the storage can charge or discharge relative to the nominal capacity of the storage. A c-rate of 1 implies that the battery can discharge or charge completely in a single timestep.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: storage capacity: NaN, input power: 1, output power: 1
Restrictions: Real number between 0 and 1. Only the columns “input power” and “output power” require a value, in column “storage capacity” c_rate should be set to NaN.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

country¶

Definition: Name of the country where the project is being deployed
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: Norway
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

currency¶

Definition: The currency of the country where the project is implemented.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: EUR
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: economic_data.csv

development_costs¶

Definition: A fixed cost to implement the asset, eg. planning costs which do not depend on the (optimized) asset capacity.
Type: numeric
Unit: currency
Example: 10000
Restrictions: Positive real number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, storage_*.csv, energyProduction.csv, fixcost.csv

discount_factor¶

Definition: Discount factor is the factor which accounts for the depreciation in the value of money in the future, compared to the current value of the same money. The common method is to calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) and use it as the discount rate.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: 0.06
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: economic_data.csv

dispatch_price¶

Definition: Variable cost associated with a flow through/from the asset (eg. Euro/kWh).
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/kWh
Example: 0.64
Restrictions: In “storage_xx.csv” only the columns “input power” and “output power” require a value, in column “storage capacity” dispatch_price should be set to NaN.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, storage_*.csv, fixcost.csv

efficiency¶

Definition: Ratio of energy output/energy input. The battery efficiency is the ratio of the energy taken out from the battery, to the energy put into the battery. It means that it is not possible to retrieve as much energy as provided to the battery due to the discharge losses. The efficiency of the “input power” and “ouput power” columns should be set equal to the charge and dischage efficiencies respectively, while the “storage capacity” efficiency should be equal to the storage’s efficiency/ability to hold charge over time (= 1 - self-discharge/decay), which is usually in the range of 0.95 to 1 for electrical storages.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: 0.95
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, storage_*.csv

emission_factor¶

Definition: Emissions per unit dispatch of an asset.
Type: numeric
Unit: kgCO2eq/asset unit
Example: 14.4
Restrictions: Positive real number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProviders.csv, energyProduction.csv

energy_price¶

Definition: Price of energy carrier sourced from the utility grid.
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/energy carrier unit
Example: 0.1
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProviders.csv

energyVector¶

Definition: Energy vector/commodity. Convention: For an energy conversion asset define energyVector of the output. For a sink define based on inflow. For a source define based on output flow. For a storage, define based on stored energy carrier.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: Electricity
Restrictions: One of “Electricity”, “Gas”, “Bio-Gas”, “Diesel”, “Heat”, “H2”
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyBusses.csv, energyConsumption.csv, energyProduction.csv, energyStorage.csv, energyProviders.csv, energyConversion.csv

evaluated_period¶

Definition: The number of days simulated with the energy system model.
Type: numeric
Unit: Day
Example: 365
Restrictions: Natural number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: simulation_settings.csv

feedin_tariff¶

Definition: Price received for feeding electricity into the grid.
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/kWh
Example: 0.7
Restrictions: Real number between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProviders.csv

file_name¶

Definition: Name of a csv file containing the input generation or demand timeseries.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: demand_harbor.csv
Restrictions: This file must be placed in a folder named “time_series” inside your input folder.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConsumption.csv, energyProduction.csv, energyStorage.csv

fixed_thermal_losses_absolute¶

Definition: Thermal losses of storage independent of state of charge and independent of nominal storage capacity between two consecutive timesteps.
Type: numeric
Unit: factor
Example: 0.0003
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: 0

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

fixed_thermal_losses_relative¶

Definition: Thermal losses of storage independent of state of charge between two consecutive timesteps relative to nominal storage capacity.
Type: numeric
Unit: factor
Example: 0.0016
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: 0

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

inflow_direction¶

Definition: The label of the bus/component from which the energyVector is arriving into the asset.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: Electricity
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConsumption.csv, energyConversion.csv, energyProviders.csv, energyStorage.csv

installedCap¶

Definition: The already existing installed capacity in-place. If the project lasts longer than its remaining lifetime, its replacement costs will be taken into account.
Type: numeric
Unit: kWp
Example: 50
Restrictions: Each component in the “energy production” category must have a value.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, storage_*.csv

label¶

Definition: Name of the asset for display purposes
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: pv_plant_01
Restrictions: Input the names in a computer friendly format, preferably with underscores instead of spaces, and avoiding special characters
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: fixcost.csv

latitude¶

Definition: Latitude coordinate of the project’s geographical location.
Type: numeric
Unit: None
Example: 45.641603
Restrictions: Should follow geographical convention
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

lifetime¶

Definition: Number of operational years of the asset until it has to be replaced.
Type: numeric
Unit: Year
Example: 30
Restrictions: Natural number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, storage_*.csv, fixcost.csv

longitude¶

Definition: Longitude coordinate of the project’s geographical location.
Type: numeric
Unit: None
Example: 10.95787
Restrictions: Should follow geographical convention
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

maximum_emissions¶

Definition: The maximum amount of total emissions in the optimized energy system.
Type: numeric
Unit: kgCO2eq/a
Example: 100000
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either a positive real number or None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: constraints.csv

maximumCap¶

Definition: The maximum total capacity of an asset that can be installed at the project site. This includes the installed and the also the maximum additional capacity possible. An example would be that a roof can only carry 50 kWp PV (maximumCap), whereas the installed capacity is already 10 kWp. The optimization would only be allowed to add 40 kWp PV at maximum.
Type: numeric
Unit: kWp
Example: 1050
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either a positive real number or None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProduction.csv

minimal_degree_of_autonomy¶

Definition: The minimal degree of autonomy that needs to be met by the optimization.
Type: numeric
Unit: factor
Example: 0.3
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: constraints.csv

minimal_renewable_factor¶

Definition: The minimum share of energy supplied by renewable generation in the optimized energy system. Insert the value 0 to deactivate this constraint.
Type: numeric
Unit: factor
Example: 0.7
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: constraints.csv

net_zero_energy¶

Definition: Specifies whether optimization needs to result into a net zero energy system (True) or not (False).
Type: boolean
Unit: None
Example: True
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either True or False.
Default: False

This parameter is used within the following categories: constraints.csv

optimizeCap¶

Definition: Allow the user to perform capacity optimization for an asset.
Type: boolean
Unit: None
Example: True
Restrictions: Permissible values are either True or False
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, energyProviders.csv, energyStorage.csv

outflow_direction¶

Definition: The label of bus/component towards which the energyVector is leaving from the asset.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: PV plant (mono)
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConsumption.csv, energyConversion.csv, energyProviders.csv, energyStorage.csv

output_lp_file¶

Definition: Enable the generation of a file with the linear equation system describing the simulation, ie., with the objective function and all the constraints. This lp file enables the user look at the underlying equations of the optimization.
Type: boolean
Unit: None
Example: False
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either True or False
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: simulation_settings.csv

peak_demand_pricing¶

Definition: Price to be paid additionally for energy-consumption based on the peak demand of a given period.
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/kW
Example: 60
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProviders.csv

peak_demand_pricing_period¶

Definition: Number of reference periods in one year for the peak demand pricing.
Type: numeric
Unit: times per year (1,2,3,4,6,12)
Example: 2
Restrictions: Only one of the following are acceptable values: 1 (yearly), 2, 3 ,4, 6, 12 (monthly)
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProviders.csv

project_duration¶

Definition: The number of years the project is intended to be operational. The project duration also sets the installation time of the assets used in the simulation. After the project ends these assets are ‘sold’ and the refund is charged against the initial investment costs.
Type: numeric
Unit: Years
Example: 30
Restrictions: Natural number
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: economic_data.csv

project_id¶

Definition: Users can assign a project ID as per their preference.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: 1
Restrictions: Cannot be the same as an already existing project
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

project_name¶

Definition: Users can assign a project name as per their preference.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: Borg Havn
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

renewableAsset¶

Definition: Allow the user to tag as asset as renewable.
Type: boolean
Unit: None
Example: True
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either True or False
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyProduction.csv

scenario_description¶

Definition: Brief description of the scenario being simulated.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: This scenario simulates a sector-coupled energy system
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

scenario_id¶

Definition: Users can assign a scenario id as per their preference.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: 1
Restrictions: Cannot be the same as an already existing scenario within the project
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

scenario_name¶

Definition: Users can assign a scenario name as per their preference.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: Warehouse 14
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: project_data.csv

soc_initial¶

Definition: The level of charge (as a factor of the actual capacity) in the storage in the zeroth time-step.
Type: numeric
Unit: None or factor
Example: storage capacity: None, input power: NaN, output power: NaN
Restrictions: Acceptable values are either None or the factor. Only the column storage capacity requires a value, in column input power and output power soc_initial should be set to NaN. The soc_initial has to be within the [0,1] interval.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

soc_max¶

Definition: The maximum permissible level of charge in the battery (generally, it is when the battery is filled to its nominal capacity), represented by the value 1.0. Users can also specify a certain value as a factor of the actual capacity.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: storage capacity: 1, input power: NaN, output power: NaN
Restrictions: Only the column storage capacity requires a value, in column input power and output power soc_max should be set to NaN. The soc_max has to be in the [0,1] interval.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

soc_min¶

Definition: The minimum permissible level of charge in the battery as a factor of the nominal capacity of the battery.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: storage capacity:0.2, input power: NaN, output power: NaN
Restrictions: Only the column storage capacity requires a value, in column input power and output power soc_min should be set to NaN. The soc_min has to be in the [0,1] interval.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: storage_*.csv

specific_costs¶

Definition: Actual CAPEX of an asset, i.e., specific investment costs
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/unit
Example: 4000
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, storage_*.csv, fixcost.csv

specific_costs_om¶

Definition: Actual OPEX of an asset, i.e., specific operational and maintenance costs.
Type: numeric
Unit: currency/unit/year
Example: 120
Restrictions: None
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, storage_*.csv, fixcost.csv

start_date¶

Definition: The data and time on which the simulation starts at the first step.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: 2018-01-01 00:00:00
Restrictions: Acceptable format is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: simulation_settings.csv

storage_filename¶

Definition: Name of a csv file containing the properties of a storage component
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: storage_01.csv
Restrictions: Follows the convention of ‘storage_xx.csv’ where ‘xx’ is a number. This file must be placed in a folder named “csv_elements” inside your input folder.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyStorage.csv

tax¶

Definition: Tax factor.
Type: numeric
Unit: Factor
Example: 0
Restrictions: Between 0 and 1
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: economic_data.csv

timestep¶

Definition: Length of the time-steps.
Type: numeric
Unit: Minutes
Example: 60
Restrictions: Can only be 60 at the moment
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: simulation_settings.csv

type_oemof¶

Definition: Input the type of OEMOF component. For example, a PV plant would be a source, a solar inverter would be a transformer, etc. The type_oemof will later on be determined through the EPA.
Type: str
Unit: None
Example: sink
Restrictions: sink or source or one of the other component classes of OEMOF.
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConsumption.csv, energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, energyProviders.csv, energyStorage.csv

unit¶

Definition: Unit associated with the capacity of the component.
Type: str
Unit: nan
Example: Storage could have units like kW or kWh, transformer station could have kVA, and so on.
Restrictions: Appropriate scientific unit
Default: None

This parameter is used within the following categories: energyConsumption.csv, energyConversion.csv, energyProduction.csv, energyProviders.csv, storage_*.csv

Input parameters¶

Parameters in each category/CSV file¶

constraints.csv¶

economic_data.csv¶

energyBusses.csv¶

energyConsumption.csv¶

energyConversion.csv¶

energyProduction.csv¶

energyProviders.csv¶

energyStorage.csv¶

fixcost.csv¶

project_data.csv¶

simulation_settings.csv¶

storage_*.csv¶

Table of parameters¶

List of parameters¶

age_installed¶

c-rate¶

country¶

currency¶

development_costs¶

discount_factor¶

dispatch_price¶

efficiency¶

emission_factor¶

energy_price¶

energyVector¶

evaluated_period¶

feedin_tariff¶

file_name¶

fixed_thermal_losses_absolute¶

fixed_thermal_losses_relative¶

inflow_direction¶

installedCap¶

label¶

latitude¶

lifetime¶

longitude¶

maximum_emissions¶

maximumCap¶

minimal_degree_of_autonomy¶

minimal_renewable_factor¶

net_zero_energy¶

optimizeCap¶

outflow_direction¶

output_lp_file¶

peak_demand_pricing¶

peak_demand_pricing_period¶

project_duration¶

project_id¶

project_name¶

renewable_share¶

renewableAsset¶

scenario_description¶

scenario_id¶

scenario_name¶

soc_initial¶

soc_max¶

soc_min¶

specific_costs¶

specific_costs_om¶

start_date¶

storage_filename¶

tax¶

timestep¶

type_oemof¶

unit¶