After running the optimization, the Results window displays the complete output of the optimization process. This chapter explains each section of the Results view.
The Results window is organized into several collapsible sections, each presenting different aspects of the optimization output. The following sections provide detailed explanations of each component of the results.
To view the results of a scenario:
Results are only available after a successful optimization run.
At the top of the Results window, a quick summary provides immediate insight into the investment viability:
The Key recommendations section presents the optimal sizes of all major components in your energy system. These are the capacities that the optimization algorithm has determined will maximize the economic performance while meeting all technical constraints.
The following components are shown with their optimal sizes:
| Component | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PV capacity | kWp | Total photovoltaic system capacity |
| Wind farm capacity | kW | Installed wind turbine capacity |
| Battery storage | kWh | Total battery energy storage capacity |
| Battery converter | kW | Power conversion system capacity for battery |
| Electrolyser capacity | kW | Total electrolyser capacity for hydrogen production |
| Fuel cell capacity | kW | Total fuel cell capacity for power generation |
| H2 storage | kg | Hydrogen storage tank capacity |
| O2 storage | kg | Oxygen storage tank capacity |
| Grid connection | kW | Electrical grid connection capacity |
The Financial Results section provides a comprehensive economic analysis of the optimized system.
This table presents the basic financial metrics:
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| Total investment cost (CAPEX) | The total upfront capital expenditure required to build the system, including all components and installation costs |
| Yearly operational cost (OPEX) | Annual operating expenses including maintenance, consumables, and variable costs |
| Yearly revenue | Annual income generated from selling hydrogen, oxygen, heat, or electricity |
| Yearly profit | Annual net profit defined as \(REVENUE - OPEX\) |
The financial indicators table provides advanced metrics for investment analysis.
The payback period, also refered to as payoff period represents the time required for the cumulative cash flows from the investment to equal the initial capital expenditure.
Formula: \[N_{payoff} = \frac{CAPEX}{Profit_{total} - Profit_{exist}}\]
Where:
NPV calculates the present value of all cash flows over the project lifetime, discounted at the specified rate. A positive NPV indicates that the investment is financially attractive.
Formula: \[NPV = -CAPEX + (Profit_{total} - Profit_{exist}) \times \frac{1 - (1+R)^{-N_{DL}}}{R}\]
Where:
ROI expresses the total return on investment as a percentage over the project lifetime.
Formula: \[ROI = N_{DL} \times \frac{Profit_{total} - Profit_{exist}}{CAPEX} \times 100\%\]
IRR is the discount rate that makes the NPV equal to zero. It represents the effective annual return on the investment. If the IRR exceeds your required rate of return, the investment is worthwhile.
LCOE represents the average cost per unit of electricity produced by the system over its lifetime. It allows comparison with grid electricity prices or other generation technologies.
Formula: \[LCOE = \frac{PROFIT_{total\_without\_en} - PROFIT_{exist} - \frac{CAPEX}{N_{DL}}}{E_{consumed}} \times 1000\]
Unit: €/MWh
LCOH represents the average cost per kilogram of hydrogen produced. This is particularly useful for comparing hydrogen production costs from different technologies or against market prices.
Formula: \[LCOH = \frac{\frac{CAPEX}{N_{DL}} + PROFIT_{exist} - PROFIT_{total\_without\_H2}}{m_{H2,sold}}\]
Unit: €/kg
The Operational Overview section shows how the optimized system operates over time.
This table summarizes the annual energy flows for each component, expressed in MWh/year:
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| PV generation | Total electricity produced by photovoltaic system |
| Wind farm generation | Total electricity produced by wind turbines |
| LREP generation | Local Renewable Energy Plant generation |
| RES utilization | Renewable energy system utilization |
| Electrolyser consumption | Electricity consumed by electrolyser for hydrogen production |
| Fuel cell generation | Electricity generated by fuel cell |
| BESS charging | Energy that went in battery |
| BESS discharging | Energy discharged from battery |
The operational overview includes interactive charts showing:
Daily Electrical Power Flows: A time-series chart showing electricity generation and consumption over the simulation period.
Daily Non-Electrical Flows: Shows hydrogen production, hydrogen sales, oxygen sales, and heat sales over time.
Tank States (Mass): Shows the hydrogen and oxygen storage levels over time.
The Detailed investment specification section provides a breakdown of each component’s optimal size and corresponding investment cost.
The table includes all system components: Here’s the table converted to sentence case:
| Component | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PV system | kWp | Solar photovoltaic installation |
| Wind farm | kWp | Wind turbine installation |
| Battery storage | kWh | Battery capacity |
| Battery converter | kW | Power electronics for battery |
| Electrolyser | kW | Hydrogen production equipment |
| Fuel cell | kW | Power generation from hydrogen |
| Hydrogen tank | kg | Hydrogen storage vessel |
| Oxygen tank | kg | Oxygen storage vessel |
| Grid connection | kW | Electrical grid interface |
| H2 compressor 1/2 | kg/h | Hydrogen compression equipment |
| O2 compressor | kg/h | Oxygen compression equipment |
| Water demineralizer | kW | Water treatment for electrolysis |
| Water pump | kW | Water supply pumping |
| Water grid connection | kg/h | Municipal water connection |
| Body of water | kg/h | Groundwater extraction |
| Rainwater harvesting | m² | Rainwater collection area |
| Water tank | m³ | Water storage |
| Low temp heat exchanger | kW | Low-temperature heat recovery |
| High temp heat exchanger | kW | High-temperature heat recovery |
| Heat pump | kW | Heat pump for temperature upgrade |
| Thermal storage | kWh | Thermal energy storage |
| District heating connection | kW | District heating network interface |
| H2 grid connection | kg/h | Hydrogen pipeline or delivery connection |
This section provides a detailed breakdown of annual production and consumption quantities for all resources:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen production | Total hydrogen produced by the electrolyser(s) in kg/year |
| Hydrogen sales (green) | Green hydrogen sold (produced from renewable sources) in kg/year |
| Hydrogen sales (non-green) | Non-green hydrogen sold (from grid electricity) in kg/year |
| Hydrogen to grid | Hydrogen delivered to external grid/pipeline in kg/year |
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Oxygen production | Total oxygen produced as a by-product of electrolysis in kg/year |
| Oxygen sales | Oxygen sold to external customers in kg/year |
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Low temperature heat generation | Waste heat recovered at lower temperatures (e.g., from electrolyser) in MWh/year |
| High temperature heat generation | Waste heat recovered at higher temperatures in MWh/year |
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Water consumption | Water consumed by the electrolyser for hydrogen production in kg/year |
When multiple electrolysers are configured, this section provides a detailed breakdown of each electrolyser stack:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Electrolyser | Name/identifier of the electrolyser |
| Size (kW) | Installed capacity of this specific electrolyser |
| Investment (€) | Investment cost allocated to this electrolyser |
| H2 production (kg/year) | Annual hydrogen production from this electrolyser |
This detailed view helps you understand:
This section provides insight into the origin of energy used and hydrogen produced. This is particularly important for:
This table shows the breakdown between green and non-green hydrogen:
| Type | kg/year | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Green H2 | Amount | % |
| Non-green H2 | Amount | % |
| Total | Amount | 100% |
For battery storage systems, this table shows the source of energy used for charging:
| Flow | Green (MWh) | Non-green (MWh) | Total (MWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charging | From RES | From grid | Total |
| Discharging | - | - | Total |
This helps you understand the environmental characteristics of your battery operation.
Capacity factors indicate how intensively each component is being used relative to its maximum potential.
The capacity factor is calculated as: \[CF = \frac{Average\ Output}{Installed\ Capacity} \times 100\%\]
When evaluating the results, consider the following key indicators:
Payback Period: How long until the investment pays for itself.
NPV: Whether the investment creates value
IRR: The effective return on investment
Results can be exported in pdf format by clicking at Export to pdf button.