energyTRADE: Software to control central plant optimally
energyTRADE has been developed by EMD but Carbon Descent are sole agents for the software in the UK and Ireland. energyTRADE is an advanced and user-friendly software product for planning and optimisation of the daily operation of any type of energy plant – including CHP, solar thermal, heat pumps, PV’s, electric chillers and much more. The software is tailored to the needs and requirements of the specific plant, and it allows the operator to easily monitor, plan and control the entire production from one system.
While adhering to operational constraints, energyTRADE calculates the optimum operation schedule regarding the daily heat production and electricity trade as well as the overall system performance. The optimisation is based on various input data such as weather forecasts, electricity spot price prognoses, expected heat demand, storage content, preconditions required by the plant etc.
The software calculates the optimal operation in quarterly, half-hourly or hourly time steps. The result is a detailed graphical and numeric production plan containing the proposed operation for each energy unit. The production plan shows the amounts of energy, the estimated economic result for the specified period and the bidding prices for different electricity markets.
With energyTRADE you are always certain to operate at the lowest possible net production cost.
What are the benefits?
energyTRADE offers fast and easy economic optimisation of the operation of all kinds of energy producing plants. The benefits of this software solution includes:
- Customised set-up: An energyTRADE solution is designed for the specific plant based on its technical and economic constraints and other preconditions and requirements
- Graphical overview of the historic, present and future operation
- Forecasting heat demand based on weather prognoses etc.
- Calculation of the lowest possible net production cost based on weather, price prognoses and efficiencies.
- Schedule plant production and submit bids on electricity markets with just one click
- Calculation of the expected turnover
- Possibility of automatic bid submission
- Upon activation, automatic update of operation schedule
energyTRADE interface
The energyTRADE user interface gives the operator a quick overview of the entire plant. From here the operator can monitor, plan, control and participate in balancing markets. During holidays, weekends and busy hours, automatic features such as submission of electricity bids can be enabled. energyTRADE can optimize the planning of simultaneous bidding in the spot, regulating and primary reserve market.
energyTRADE user interface. The top menu shows the preconditions, these differs from set-up to set-up and depend on the requirements of the operation. The main window shows both the historical, current and prognosis for the next days in graphical form. The first graph shows the spot market prices and the bid price [price/MWh], second graph shows the heat output [MW], the third electricity [MW] and finally the content of the heat storage [MWh]. Left window is divided in two. The top is to see and tender different markets, the bottom shows the events in the system and the alarms.
Set-up
An energyTRADE set-up is designed in accordance with the properties of the plant and its interfaces. The figure below shows a set-up with two databases being the interface between energyTRADE and the SCADA and the BRP. It is also possible to have a set-up where the communication is directly with the SCADA and energyTRADE can be set-up using the protocols needed.
Simplified energyTRADE set-up example at the plant. Each set-up is individually made according to technology, preconditions and other requirements at the plant. In this set-up example an indirect DB interfaces is made, but direct interface set-up is possible depending on requirements and preconditions.
energyTRADE works with all systems and you need not to your planning, balancing and trading system when changing your SCADA system or BRP. In this way, you are more independent and can freely choose another BRP without having to learn how to use a new software. Click here to read the energyTRADE brochure.
An additional benefit from installing energyTRADE is a detailed energyPRO model of the plant. The energyPRO model can be used by plant operators or consultancies in feasibility studies, investment analyses etc. Read more about energyPRO here.