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This Technote will describe in detail the process for running an Energy Cost Analysis in WaterCAD v8i and WaterGEMS v8i (SELECTSeries 4). It is meant to provide a more detailed description of running the Energy Cost Analyses than the Help Documentation.
There are two levels at which energy costs can be analyzed in WaterGEMS. The tool called "Scenario Energy Cost" calculates energy use and cost for a single scenario while "Energy Management" uses the results of multiple Energy Cost scenarios to determine energy costs at a higher level of aggregation to determine the energy cost for pump stations (not just pump-by-pump) for multiple scenarios that can occur over a billing period and determine economic costs such as net present worth of pumping energy.
The Scenario Energy Cost analysis determines the energy cost by pump for all pumps selected by the user. Pricing for energy cost is set up in the Pricing button in energy costing. Price functions are assigned to individual pumps in energy costing.
For users interested in a more complete energy analysis, running a single scenario may not be sufficient as block rate charges must be determined based on energy use over a complete billing cycle which may contain low, average and high water use periods which should be modeled as separate scenarios. In addition, the scenario corresponding to the setting of a peak demand charge is usually not an average day but some kind of peak condition that should be modeled in a separate scenario. In order to deal with the complexities of block rates, multiple scenarios, aggregation of pumps within a station, and performing present worth calculation, the user needs to use the Energy Management analysis. Such calculations are usually required because of complex tariffs for electric power.
Because there may be other energy uses at the pump station besides pumping, the user can specify non-pumping energy costs to account four uses such as lighting, HVAC, control systems, chemical feed equipment, etc. These costs are added in on a Power Meter basis. There may also be charges on the power bill that are not associated with individual pumping operations such as taxes, discounts, lump sum surcharges, etc. These can be added in to the overall cost and are referred to as "other costs".
The usual work flow for using the energy cost and energy management analyses may be followed as shown below:
In the next section we will go through a detailed step by step guide of how to use the Energy Management and Scenario Energy Cost tools.
The Scenario Energy Cost tool can be opened by going to Analysis > Scenario Energy Cost, or by selecting the Scenario Energy Cost icon in the toolbar.
This will open the Scenario Energy Cost manager as shown below.
On the left side of the manager, it will display the current scenario. If you wish to analyze a different scenario, you can choose it from the Scenario pulldown. Note: The Scenario must be an EPS run.
The right side of the manager is where you will set up the energy cost analysis. On the left side of the manager you will see some result fields and specific element options. You can specify which elements will be included in the analysis in the table located on the bottom left of the manager.
After selecting the scenario you will be analyzing, you will need to set up the energy pricing. To do this, click in a cell in the Energy Pricing column and click the ellipsis ("...") button. This will open the Energy Pricing manager.
There are four types of Energy Pricing.
Each of these types of Energy Pricing will act differently when you run an Energy Analysis. The Time of Day Energy Pricing will calculate enerrgy cost comparing hours vs. $/kwh.
Note: You can change the units for the energy pricing by right-clicking on the current units and choose "Units and Formatting." This allows you to change the units and the precision that the data is displayed.
The Time of Day Energy Pricing will calculate energy cost comparing hours vs. $/kwh. Energy Supply Rate structure based on a Time of Day Pattern.
To create a new Time of Day Energy Pricing definition, click the New icon in the upper left. On the right side of the manager is where the data is entered. The energy pricing data itself is entered in the lower right of the dialog. First, change the Tariff Type to Time of Day. Then enter the “Starting Energy Price.” If the pricing changes over the course of the EPS run, you can enter that data in the table below "Starting Energy Price."
If the pricing will include Peak Demand Charge, you must place a checkmark in the box beside “Include Peak Demand Charges?” When this is done, the two fields used with this will become available. Enter the value for Peak Demand Charge and Billing Period. The Billing Period is used to convert the peak demand charge, which may be calculated for the month, year, or another period of time, into a daily cost which can be added to the energy cost to obtain the Daily Cost.
Block Rate Energy Pricing will calculate energy cost based on a Block Rate Cost Structure. A Block Rate is a certain price charged for the first definite number of units used and a successively lower or higher price for each additional block used.
Block Rate Energy Pricing will compare Energy Use (kWh) vs. Energy Price ($/kWh)
Block Rate Energy Pricing will compare Energy Use per Billing Demand (kWh) vs. Energy Price ($/kWh)
Note: Block Rate Energy Prices can only be calculated using the Energy Management tool.
Constant Energy Pricing will use a constant Energy Price ($/kWh) for the entire model simulation.
Click "Close" to return to the Scenario Energy Costs manager. When you click a cell in the Energy Price column, the energy price definition that was created will be available for selection.
Once the energy pricing and the elements to be used in the analysis are selected, the analysis can be run.
Note: You must compute the scenario before you can calculate the energy cost.
Click the Compute icon in the upper left of the Energy Cost manager. Once completed, the pumps for which the calculation was run will appear in the window on the left side of the dialog. To view the results for an individual pump, select one of them from the window on the left. A Results table will appear on the right side of the manager.
You can also view the available results fields as a graph by selecting the Graph tab. To select which result field to view, click the pulldown and select the field.
Note: to see general results for all pumps, you can select the item “Pump Usage” in the window on the left; a new table will appear on the right side of the dialog.
Starting with WaterGEMS and WaterCAD build 08.11.04.58 and higher, an additional enhancement has been added to energy aggregation. It is now possible to manage tariffs with multiple peak charges. This enhancement has been added to the Energy Cost dialog as shown below:
After placing a checkmark in the box, the user can now edit the mulitple peak changes. The Peak Charge Type can either be based on Clock Time or Simulation Time. The user will include the start and end times for the peak charge and enter the value for the peak demand change.
With this data entered, multiple peak charges can now be taken into account when running the Scenario Energy Cost simulation.
The Scenario Energy Cost Manager is ideal for comparing different scenarios based on energy cost. However, if you would like to do more thorough analysis of Block Rates, Multiple Scenarios, or would like to consider all Energy Use you should open Energy Management tool.
The Energy Management tool will allow you to use Block Rates and compare Multiple Scenarios using a single tool. You will also be able to add other Energy Costs that are not associated with WaterGEMS(CAD) elements such as Lighting, HVAC, Taxes, etc.
Below is a list of the main differences between running the Scenario Energy Cost vs. Energy Management:
Scenario Energy Costs
Energy Management
Detailed Energy Use Results
Summary of Energy Costs
Single Scenario
One or More Scenarios
Cost by Individual Elementsand System Wide
Cost by IndividualElements, Power Meter, Scenario and Systemwide
Pumps and VSPB’s and Tanks
Pump Stations, Pumps, and VSPB’s
Cost based on Unit Energycost or Time of Day and Peak Demand charge
Cost based on all types of Energy Tariffs including Block Rates and all those from Sceanrio Energy Cost
Considers Pump Energy and Demand
Considers All Energy Use
Considers only Energy Costs
Considers Pump, Non-Pump and Extraneous costs
To begin an Energy Management Study click on the Energy Management icon or go to Analysis > Energy Management.
Once you open the Energy Management dialog you will see the following window appear. Click the New button in the top Left Corner to create a New Energy Management study.
Once you create a New Energy Management Study you will see multiple Tabs to enter data. The first Data Tab is the Options tab. Here you are able to set the Billing Period, Calculate Net Present Value, and Scenario Data.
The most useful part of using the Energy Management tool is the ability to compare scenarios in the same study. As shown below you can add and compare Scenarios based on Percentage of Billing Period. The model uses the Billing Period value entered to calculate the Total cost of the study.
Billing Period - Enter the total Billing Period for the Energy Study. EX. (730 days - 2 years)
Calculate Net Present Value - Check to calculate the Net Present Value using the Interest Rate and Number of Years variables.
Scenarios Table - Add all of the scenarios you would like to compare in a single Energy Management Study. In this example, Average Day and Peak Day scenarios are included.
Include in Cost Calculation - Check Box to include or exclude the Scenario from the Management Study.
Percent of Billing Period - Percentage of Billing Period entered above to use the specified scenario for the Energy Management Calculation.
Compute Scenario and Energy - Dropdown where you can select whether to recompute the Hydraulic model Data as well as recompute the Scenario Energy Cost. (Note: Leaving this as "None" will save Calculation Time.)
Use for Peak - Check Box to use the specified Scenario for Peak Demand Charge.
An important concept in energy management analysis is that of a "Power meter". A Power Meter is the basic unit that is billed by an electric utility. A Power Meter usually corresponds to a pump station. However, in WaterGEMS, a pump station is a collection of pumps serving a single pressure zone. Therefore, if a pump station building has a singleelectric service but has a set of Low, Medium and High service pumps, for WaterGEMS hydraulic calculations, it is three Pump Station elements but for energy management, it corresponds to a single Power Meter. The figure below shows how a single power meter can include multiple pumps and pump stations in a single building.
Power meters are used during Energy Management. To enter data for a Power meter click on the Power meter Icon on the main toolbar inside the Energy Management dialog box.
The Power Meter Dialog box looks like the following. There are Tabs to enter Pump Data, Non-Pumping Energy, and Notes. To create a New Power Meter click on the New button in the top left corner of the Power Meter window.
Pumps Tab - Enter the Pumps corresponding to the specified Power Meter.
Non-Pumping Energy - Enter other cost data associated with the Power Meter such as HVAC, Lighting, Control Panels, Security Systems, Temperature Control Systems, or any other Extraneous data.
Notes - Enter any Notes or Instructions associated with this specified Power Meter.
Once all the Power Meter data is complete you can exit the Power Meter Dialog. In the Power Meter tab, enter the applicable Energy Pricing for the Various Power Meters. Once all of the data for the Energy Management tabs has been entered you are ready to calculate the Energy Management. Click on the Calculate button on the Taskbar.
Once the Calculation process is complete you will get numerous detailed results. The Results Summary section will give you detailed results about the Energy Management study. In the Results Summary you can compare results based on the entire billing period. An example is shown below:
Carbon Emission calculation is also included with Energy Cost analysis. You can choose the pumps to be included for analysis at the same time as you select which pumps to include with the energy cost analysis.
In order for the carbon emission analysis, you need to enter a Carbon Dioxide Emission Factor to complete the analysis. To do this, click in a cell under the column header Unit Carbon Emission. This will open the Unit Carbon Emission dialog. Create a new definition by select the New icon, then enter your value for the carbon dioxide emission factor. Click “Close” to return to the Energy Cost dialog and choose the new unit carbon emission definition from the pulldown menu.
When you select the Compute icon in the upper right, it will now calculate the carbon emissions from the pump.
To view the results, select “Pump Usage” directly under the scenario name in the window on the left. In the table, scroll all the way to the left. The Carbon Emission results field will be the last column.
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