Simulation hangs up at 66.6% and forced quit is required

For some reason, SAM Simulations the attached file hangs up at 66.6% and a forced quit is required to get out of the simulation.

Not sure what's wrong.

Thanks!

Niels

Hi Niels,

I see that the load profile in your file has negative values. Is that intentional? If so, what are the negative values meant to represent?

One way to investigate this issue is to allow the grid to charge the battery to ensure there is always sufficient power available to both meet the load and charge the battery. You can then use the Data Tables and Time Series tabs see how much energy is required to charge the battery for this peak-shaving application and adjust the battery size, PV system size and/or load accordingly.

Best regards,
Paul.

In response to:

I am looking at the results of my first modeling run and have some questions about the results. (I looked back at the forum discussion and I
still wasn't clear on this.)

The site has a few MW of existing generation, so there are periods in
the site's baseline hourly load data where the existing site is putting
power onto the grid.

Now the site wants to add PV and Batteries.  In the modeling results, it
is clear that the battery is storing the new PV system's output, but is
SAM also able to know that the site's negative production hours are
times that it could charge the battery and is it able to include those
saving in the results?

I think a better approach to modeling the existing system than setting the load to negative values would be to include the existing system in the system design that you are modeling. That way, the system will represent the retrofitted project. You could also create a case for the existing system without the additional equipment to compare the results before and after the retrofit.

Best regards,
Paul.

Thanks, Paul

So now I pulled the existing generators (2 wind turbines, 1 biogas CT, and one natural gas CT) output out of the factory's load.  I have hourly kWh output files for each generator and I have them all combined.  How did I get that into the PV/Battery model?  I'd love to simply add it as generic generation with no costs or financial model - as it is part of the Factories baseline and not part of the new PV and battery investment.

n  

Hi Niels,

You might use the Generic Battery configuration for that purpose. On the Power Plant page, you can import the generation combined generation profile and then dispatch the battery to respond to that. SAM's configurations with batteries require a financial model both to account for the cost of battery replacements, and to provide information about how to dispatch the battery in response to electricity bill charges for behind-the-meter applications or to time-of-delivery factors for front-of-meter.

The problem with that approach is that the battery dispatch will not respond to the individual generators as it might in a real system. This is really a job for a model like HOMER, which is designed to model hybrid power systems.

Best regards,
Paul.