energyPRO 5.1

Distribution bars

A new graphical feature acting as a distribution bar, visually connecting all inputs and outputs from conversion units, demands, and storages.

When Distribution Bars are enabled, all components - such as demands, conversion units, storages, markets, and other sites - connect to a distribution bar for the relevant resource.

• Each resource has its own distribution bar.
  
• If there is only one input and one output, they will connect directly without a distribution bar.

You can double-click or right-click a distribution bar (or a connection) to view and edit the resource settings.

Layout and Connections

• Distribution bars are vertical by default, but you can drag the end to make them horizontal.
  
• Connections are automatically drawn as straight horizontal or vertical lines.
  
• You can adjust where each connection attaches to the distribution bar.

Additional Settings

In the Options, you can choose whether to use distribution bars when opening project files created in energyPRO 5.0 or earlier.

*When using distribution bars, the conversion units without access to storage or to transmission have a small icon illustrating these settings.

Resources (replacing fixed energy types)

The traditional categories of heat, electricity, cooling, and fuels have been replaced by a universal Resources system.

• Infinite Variety: Define any resource, from natural gas and water to methanol or heat at specific temperatures.
  
  
• Seamless Migration: Files from version 5.0 automatically convert original energy types into the new resource format.
  
  
• Enhanced Units: Access more measuring units and customise resource settings via the intuitive left-side menu.

In the graphical user interface, you can access the resource by double-clicking its connection or distribution bar.

A new energyPRO 5.1 project file contains by default four resources:

• Heat
• Electricity
• Cooling
• Process Heat

These correspond to the four standard energy types used in earlier versions of energyPRO.

You can choose a measuring unit for each resource from the built-in options. If you need a custom unit, select “Other” and enter your preferred unit in the field provided.

In energyPRO 5.0 and earlier, it was only possible to set restricted transmission on built-in heat, cooling and process heat, whereas electricity and fuels could flow unlimited between sites.

With 5.1 all resources are treated equally, which means you set on the resource whether it has restricted transmission.

Transmissions

The new generalised structure allows for restricted transmission of any resource type. 

When adding a new transmission, you can select among the resources with restricted transmission.

If Hydraulic Transmission is enabled in the Calculation Setup ribbon, you can choose between two transmission modes:

• Simple (Capacity and loss)
• Hydraulic

You can easily switch between these modes directly on the transmission.

You can also change the associated resource or energy type for the transmission as needed.

With Hydraulic transmission be sure to set the flow and return temperatures of the resource on the site settings.

Demands

It is now possible to specify a demand for any resource type, including fuels. You can change the resource type on the demand.

The Demand window works the same way as before, offering several ways to define demand:

• Degree-day dependent demand
• Monthly values
• Time series functions

Choose the method that best fits your data and analysis needs.

Storage

The storage has undergone a major functional upgrade:

• Standalone fuel storage: Fuel storage is no longer nested within fuel definitions; it is now a standalone component, allowing for multiple storages of the same fuel type.
  
  
• Cross-resource capability: Toggle between thermal and electrical storage types for any resource.
  
  
• New restrictions: Include charging/discharging restrictions on thermal units and account for losses in electrical storage.

Markets

Create markets for any type of resource, such as electricity, heat, or natural gas. If a market for a specific resource (for example, natural gas) is not defined, that resource cannot be imported.

Markets also enable the export of resources, including electricity, heat, methanol, and more.

For each market, you can define grid restrictions and CO₂ parameters for both import and export. The grid restriction feature replaces the fuel availability settings used in energyPRO 5.0 and earlier versions.

With the MARKETS module, you can set up multiple markets for the same resource - such as a day-ahead market and a balancing market - allowing units like CHP plants to export to the most suitable market at any time.