Questions on Excel Exchange

Hello Paul,

we are trying to set up a basic case using SAM's
Excel Exchange feature but can't get it to work.

I also had a look at the sample file provided by
SAM but the issue still remains.

Everything is fine with the "Capture" variables,
SAM reads them from the opened Excel sheet as expected.

But SAM does not write variables to the sheet correctly.
After a SAM calculation I can see the values
flash up in the cells for a split second, but
then they are removed again.

Do you have any idea what might cause the problem?

And yet another question:
Why is it not possible to use the LCOE as a Set-variable
after a calculation, it is missing in the list
of the empirical trough model.

Kind regards,
Joe

Hi Joe,

When you use Excel Exchange, SAM works with a copy of the Excel file (that's the copy you see flashing open and then closed). It does not save values to the file, so you will not see them in the worksheet cells.

Regarding the LCOE, are you asking why you can not use it as a "Sent To" variable? Excel Exchange only works to exchange values between SAM inputs and Excel. You cannot use Excel Exchange to send values of SAM results to Excel.

Best regards,
Paul.

Hello Paul,,

thanks for your reply.
The only thing I don't get at the moment is why there are Send-Variables?
Why send variables to a sheet that only exists temporary?

Kind regards,
Joe

Hi Joe,

In Excel Exchange, the "Send To" variables are for SAM input values that you might want to use in an Excel Formula to calculate another value. For a simplistic example, for a PV system, you could use Excel Exchange to calculate an annual O&M cost that scales with the number of inverters by defining the Number of Inverters variable as a Send To variable to send its value to a cell in the workbook, and then use a different cell in the workbook to store a formula that converts number of inverters to an annual dollar amount, and defining the Fixed Annual O&M Cost as a "Captured From" variable that reads the value from that cell. When you run SAM, the temporary copy of the workbook would make the calculation and exchange the values with SAM.

Best regards,
Paul.