HOMER ENERGY ACTIVITY HOW TO
HOMER ENERGY ACTIVITY SOFTWARE

Indonesia currently spends more than 2% of its national GDP (>18.5 billion USD) on energy subsidies, while at the same time seeking to bring modern energy services to the remaining 20% of the population currently unserved.ДЇigure 1: HOMER trainers and workshop attendees at the World Bank and KfW-financed 1000 Island workshop in 2012

This was during the beginning of the 1000 Island Electrification Program, an initiative launched by the Indonesian Government as a means of improving electricity access in its outer islands through renewable energy sources вЂ“ a project that continues today. In 2012, HOMER Energy conducted a hands-on workshop for over 60 regional planners and engineers from the Indonesian national utility, PLN, to engage with, understand, and plan the options for improving energy access throughout the outer islands of Indonesia. Case Study 1: Mini-grids for IndonesiaвЂ™s Outer Wilayahs

HOMER ENERGY ACTIVITY SOFTWARE

In other words, mini-grid modeling software turns a challenging вЂњit dependsвЂќ assessment into a convincing business case that demonstrates the benefits of a particular design.Д«elow are a few case studies that demonstrate how HOMER software has been used to enable smart decisions based on sound insights into mini-grid technology options. Standard software packages like HOMER provide a common framework that allows financiers to fairly compare multiple proposals and make smart investment decisions. This is where modeling software is valuable: It can account for a wide range of applications and the uncertainty that comes from developing smaller projects where obtaining data is difficult. Communities in Africa may have ubiquitous solar but lack wind resource or a nearby stream for hydro. Remote villages in Alaska may have access to a strong, consistent wind, but lack adequate solar. One of the key challenges of distributed technologies is that the resources available are as varied as the communities they serve. The HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) modelВ seeks to optimize mini-grid design.

HOMER ENERGY ACTIVITY HOW TO

Understanding how to best combine traditionally generated and renewable power, storage, and load management for the optimal site-specific installation, at the lowest cost, is the key for deploying efficient mini-grid solutions. Mini-grids will enable us to realize Goal 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), вЂњaffordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.вЂќ Energy is rightly viewed as a requirement for humans to achieve their potential and is a cornerstone of the transition from the last 15 yearsвЂ™ Millennium Development Goals to the next 15 yearsвЂ™ SDGs. It is no longer necessary to rely on centralized systems for power technological innovation has finally enabled end users to assert control of their energy supply. Mini-grids-sometimes referred to as micro-grids-are now being deployed all over the world, supporting energy access for communities, bringing reliable power to businesses, and reducing fuel costs and emissions for everyone. These core technologies, bolstered by new control approaches and smart planning tools, are enabling a democratization of the electrical sector unimaginable only a decade ago. PV is now cheap, diesel is expensive (and still volatile!), and storage is finally becoming affordable.

Today, however, we are finally able to harvest the fruits of research and development in these technologies. In those days PV was expensive, diesel was cheap (although volatile), and storage was really expensive. When the HOMER Energy founder set out to help people make smart, sensible energy decisions while at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory over 20 years ago, he was at the forefront of a huge opportunity in the energy sector. This is the problem that modeling software such as HOMERВ® was engineered to answer: How do I design a system that provides clean, reliable, affordable power?

The sheer number of hybrid solutions can frighten even the most well-informed decision makers. Advocates for particular technologies all insist they have the only solution to our looming global energy crises. One of the greatest challenges facing those who want smarter, cheaper, cleaner energy is the large number of options and technologies available to provide power. Using Software to Make a Compelling Business Case for Mini-grid DeploymentД«y: John Glassmire, Director of Energy Engineering at HOMER Energy

Homer energy activity