HOMER

The Micropower Optimization

Model
 What is HOMER?

• A tool for comparing and evaluating

micropower technology options for a
wide range of applications
– Village power systems
– Stand-alone applications
– Conventional technologies
– New technologies
 What is HOMER?
A tool for designing micropower systems
ƒ Wind turbines ƒ Fuel cells

ƒ PV
ƒ Small hydro
ƒ Batteries

ƒ Small modular biomass

ƒ Diesels

ƒ Microturbines ƒ Grid connection

 What does HOMER do?

• HOMER finds the combination of

components that can serve a load at the
lowest life-cycle cost
• HOMER inputs describe
– Component costs and performance
characteristics
– Resource availability
– Loads
Questions HOMER can Answer

– Should I buy a wind turbine, PV array, or

both?
– Will my design meet growing demand?
– How big should my battery bank be?
– What if the fuel price changes?
– How should I operate my system?
– And many others…
 What HOMER Does Sensitivity Analysis

Optimization

• Simulation Simulation
– Estimate the cost and determine the Energy Balance
feasibility of a system design over the
8760 hours in a year
• Optimization
– Simulate each system configuration and
display list of systems sorted by net
present cost (NPC)
• Sensitivity Analysis
– Perform an optimization for each
sensitivity variable
 Life-cycle Cost

• The cost of a system over its useful life

– Initial costs associated with
equipment purchases and
installation
– Costs of owning, operating,
and maintaining the system
– Costs of replacing
components
• Net Present Cost: life-cycle cost expressed
as a lump sum in "today's dollars"
Technologies HOMER Can Model

• Single technology systems and mutiple-

technology (hybrid) systems
• Compare multiple combinations of
different technologies
 Generators

• Fossil fuels
• Biofuels
• Cofired
• Cogeneration
• Up to three generators
 Grid Extension

• Breakeven grid extension

distance: Minimum distance
between system and grid that is
economically feasible
 Grid-connected Systems

• Rate schedule
• Net metering
• Demand charges
 Renewable Technologies

• Solar PV
• Wind
• Biomass and biofuels
• Hydro
 Emerging Technologies

• Fuel cells
• Microturbines
• Small modular biomass
 Loads

• Electrical
– One or two load profiles
– Deferrable
• Thermal
• Hydrogen
 Resources

• Wind speed (m/s)

• Solar radiation (kWh/m2/day)
• Biomass (kg)
• Stream flow (L/s)
• Fuel price ($/L)
 How do I Use HOMER?

Things to know Results

•Local renewable resource •Basic system design
•Loads for the community •Estimate of operating costs
•Basic component and installation costs •List of feasible design options
•Operation and maintenance costs •Annual power production
•Fuel consumption
•Emissions
•…

HOMER
 How do I use HOMER?

1. Collect information:
– Electric demand (load) at site
– Basic cost and performance data for components
– Energy resources available at site
• data (wind speed, solar radiation, etc.)
• cost (diesel, natural gas, biomass, etc.)
™HOMER can provide sample information if you
don’t have access to data
 How do I use HOMER?

2. Define range of options

 How do I use HOMER?

3. Enter electric demand (load) data

 How do I use HOMER?

4. Enter resource data

 How do I use HOMER?

5. Enter component cost, sizes to consider

 How do I use HOMER?

6. Enter sensitivity variable values (optional)

 How do I use HOMER?

7. Calculate results
 How do I use HOMER?

8. Examine results
 HOMER in Action

Example: Atulayan Village, Philippines

- Island village of one

hundred families
- Hybrid system replaced
unreliable diesel generator
- HOMER helped evaluate
hybrid system designs

Synergy Power Corporation

www.synergypowercorp.com/proj9.htm
 HOMER in Action

– HOMER showed that wind/diesel was the most

cost effective option for Atulayan
 HOMER is only a model!

• HOMER does not provide "the right

answer" to questions. It does help you
consider important factors, and evaluate
and compare options.
 Who Uses HOMER?

• System designer: evaluate technology

options
• Project manager: evaluate costs of different
options
• Program manager: explore factors that affect
system design (resource availability, fuel
price, load size, carbon emissions, etc.)
• Educator: teach and learn about renewable
energy technologies
Organizations (Aug 2004)
 User Testimonials

• "HOMER is an indispensable tool when we talk

of electrification with renewables" -- Cecilio
U. Sumaoy, Cagayan Electric Power & Light
Co., Philippines
• "I have found that [HOMER] is being accepted
within certain circles of industry and could
potentially become a widely adopted industry
standard for presenting economic and
technology evaluations" -- Brook Porter,
Intelligent Energy, Ltd., USA
 Downloading HOMER

• http://www.nrel.gov/homer
• Complete registration survey
– HOMER development team uses survey to
make improvements to software
• Renew after 180 days by completing
renewal form
• Send email to renew if Web access is
difficult