Annual Report 2007

Modeling Energy Systems Interactively s energy costs continue to rise, organizations need to be able to evaluate the economic and technical feasibility of energy technologies for both off-grid and grid-connected power systems. Researchers in GTRI and the Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory (ASDL), part of Georgia Tech’s School of Aerospace Engineering, have developed a new modeling and simulation-based energy systems analysis tool that allows organizations to evaluate different energy portfolio strategies before investing. “Our interactive tool analyzes thousands of energy options in seconds, while being easy for anyone to use,” said Tommer Ender, a research engineer with a joint appointment in GTRI and ASDL. With funding from GTRI’s independent research and development (IRAD) program, Ender is collaborating with senior research scientist Kevin Caravati and senior research engineer Comas Haynes to formulate a process for developing tools that support decision-making. The modeling platform begins with a hybrid energy modeling tool, such as HOMER, a com- A puter energy model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The researchers expanded the tool into an interactive model that shows the impacts of decisions immediately. The platform can also predict how an increase in prices will affect the energy system and how long it will take to produce savings on energy costs, according to Jonathan Murphy, a graduate student working on the model. The model analyzes both conventional and renewable energy technologies, including solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, hydropower, fuel cells, electric utility grid and generators operating on diesel, gasoline, biogas and alternative fuels. The researchers are collaborating with SkyBuilt Power, a leading renewable energy systems integration company located in Virginia, to develop concepts for maximizing the efficiency of SkyBuilt’s mobile power stations. Skybuilt’s solar, wind and generator systems are designed for disaster relief, backup power and military use. Instead of submitting a long report to the military, the model allowed the researchers to demonstrate how different energy scenarios would operate in six different cities throughout an entire year. “GTRI’s modeling capabilities help us to more rapidly optimize our products, whether it’s solar and wind systems in a suitcase or larger systems in trailers and freight containers,” said Dave Muchow, SkyBuilt’s president and CEO. With additional IRAD funding, graduate student Katherine Yakubisin is developing an energy model for future facility improvements in Yellowstone National Park. “Yellowstone wants to expand the use of renewable energy systems and improve energy efficiency at their facilities,” noted Caravati. “With this model, Yellowstone can develop scenarios to evaluate energy costs under a variety of system combinations.” The new energy systems modeling tool allows energy decision-makers to test multiple options and investigate the implications. “Decisions are frequently made early on in the design process with very little information, and only 20 years later do people realize the impacts of the decision,” added Haynes. “If you use our model to bring physics in earlier in the process, you can validate your design much earlier.” GTRI researchers, above and right, are using modeling and simulation techniques to develop an energy system analysis tool. www.gtri.gatech.edu http://www.gtri.gatech.edu

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Annual Report 2007

Annual Report 2007 Contents From the Director Research at GTRI Defense and Security Health and Human Systems Energy and Environment Manufacturing Technologies Information and Communication Technologies GTRI Around the World Interdisciplinary Research Centers The Laboratories of GTRI Georgia Tech Ireland GTRI by the Numbers GTRI and Georgia Tech Supporting Breakthrough Research GTRI Professional Education The People of GTRI

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