Hi Arthur,
I think you would like to optimize the plant configuration (subsystem sizing of components) for a single weather file, then simulate the design through other weather files to see how the plant would perform under different conditions.
If that is correct, then yes, HOPP can do this (with scripting). Simulating the plant over a long time horizon (~25-30 years) can be done but not “out-of-the-box” and would require some scripting to do the following:
- Optimize the subsystem sizing based on a specific weather data and financial assumptions.
- Fix the subsystem sizing based on Step 1 and loop through the “lifetime” weather files.
- Construct a lifetime generation profile and setting up pySAM’s Grid and SingleOwner models to calculate the financial performance of the system.
We're not sure what you mean by “with a fixed operating parameters.” If that means operating cost parameters (e.g., cost to run the CSP cycle), then yes. If it means the operating schedule, the answer is no.
For your last, question, the answer is yes. Most of SAM's outputs are accessible through HOPP. However, the battery model within HOPP is a stateful model which only “remembers” the last state of the system; therefore, any metrics that requires a time series of battery state must be calculated after the simulation using the BatteryOutputs class attributes (i.e., current, power, charge, temperature, etc.).
Best regards,
Paul.
