Softwaretool greenius
In contrast to fossil energy sources, the yield of solar power plants and wind farms depends directly on the current irradiation or wind speed and direction. Thus, the plants only operate at nominal capacity for a few hours a year, and for the rest of the time they operate with different parameters. Therefore, the variation of environmental conditions must be taken into account when forecasting electricity production. The usual practice is to perform hourly simulations using specially prepared weather data.
Researchers at the Institute for Solar Research developed the greenius software tool for the purpose of simulating and forecasting the yield of concentrating solar power plants over time. It enables quick and easy forecasting of electricity yields and is used primarily in early project phases and feasibility studies. Although the software is focused on solar thermal power plants, models have long been available for the detailed simulation of other renewable technologies. These include non-concentrating solar collectors for process heat supply, photovoltaic systems and wind farms.
greenius is made available free of charge thanks to funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the ‘FreeGreenius’ project. The software is easy to access thanks to the simple structure of the graphical user interface and the standard components provided with typical characteristic values. In addition to the technical simulation of the power plants, the software also includes an economic part. Typical key figures such as the net present value or the amortisation period of a project are determined automatically. The software is constantly being further developed and new technologies are being added.
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Acknowledgement
The development and expansion of greenius was supported by various institutions. We would like to thank the following for their support:
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy funded the publication and further development of greenius as part of the FreeGreenius project based on a decision by the German Bundestag under reference 0325427.
The European Union supported the addition of the solar cooling models with concentrating and non-concentrating collectors in the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development under the reference TREN/FP7EN/218952.
The addition of models for the generation of process heat using concentrating and non-concentrating collectors was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag under the reference 0329609A.
The extension of greenius to concentrating PV systems was funded by the European Union under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development under the reference SES6-CT-2003-502626.
The European Union supported the extension of greenius for concentrating PV systems in the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development under the reference SES6-CT-2003-502626.
The development and implementation of greenius began in 1999 and was funded by the European Union in the ALTENER II programme under the reference XVII/4.1030/Z/98-268.