Generator Max Capacity Factor

Units: %
Mode: Input Only
Multi-band: False
Default Value: 100
Validation Rule: Between 0 And 100
Key Property: No
Description: Maximum capacity factor (energy constraint)
Detail:

Generator Min Capacity Factor and Max Capacity Factor (and their period-specific variants) define bounds on a facilities' capacity factor on an interval, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

A straight-forward approach to modelling an energy-limited generator (e.g. hydro) is to place periodic limits on the generator's rating along with capacity factor constraints as in Table 1

Table 1: An Energy Limited Generator
Property Value Units Timeslice
Units 1 -
Max Capacity 250 MW
Rating 200 MW M01
Rating 200 MW M02
Rating 200 MW M03
Rating 250 MW M04
Rating 250 MW M05
Rating 250 MW M06
Rating 250 MW M07
Rating 250 MW M08
Rating 250 MW M09
Rating 200 MW M10
Rating 200 MW M11
Rating 200 MW M12
Max Capacity Factor Month 24 % M01
Max Capacity Factor Month 66 % M02
Max Capacity Factor Month 68 % M03
Max Capacity Factor Month 63 % M04
Max Capacity Factor Month 76 % M05
Max Capacity Factor Month 36 % M06
Max Capacity Factor Month 77 % M07
Max Capacity Factor Month 46 % M08
Max Capacity Factor Month 22 % M09
Max Capacity Factor Month 4 % M10
Max Capacity Factor Month 15 % M11
Max Capacity Factor Month 8 % M12


Note the use Capacity Factor Month variant and timeslices (patterns) to change the rating and capacity factor limits by month of year.

The simulator converts the energy constraints into Constraint objects. By default the constraints are hard i.e. no violation is allowed. If you prefer to allow violations then use the Max Energy Penalty property.

For the case above, the output for the generator across a two year horizon is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Generation by Month
Month Beginning Generation Capacity Factor
1-Jul-01 143.22 77
1-Aug-01 85.56 46
1-Sep-01 39.6 22
1-Oct-01 7.44 4
1-Nov-01 27 15
1-Dec-01 14.88 8
1-Jan-02 44.64 24
1-Feb-02 110.88 66
1-Mar-02 126.48 68
1-Apr-02 113.4 63
1-May-02 141.36 76
1-Jun-02 64.8 36
1-Jul-02 143.22 77
1-Aug-02 85.56 46
1-Sep-02 39.6 22
1-Oct-02 7.44 4
1-Nov-02 27 15
1-Dec-02 14.88 8
1-Jan-03 44.64 24
1-Feb-03 110.88 66
1-Mar-03 126.48 68
1-Apr-03 113.4 63
1-May-03 141.36 76
1-Jun-03 64.8 36


The solution file contains a new constraint and report the following information:

Table 3: Constraint implementing the Capacity Factor property
Month Beginning Activity Slack Price Hours Binding
01-Jul-01 143.22 0.00 24,260.90 744.00
01-Aug-01 85.56 0.00 26,580.30 744.00
01-Sep-01 39.60 0.00 28,436.20 720.00
01-Oct-01 7.44 0.00 48,205.10 744.00
01-Nov-01 27.00 0.00 26,793.70 720.00
01-Dec-01 14.88 0.00 32,748.20 744.00
01-Jan-02 44.64 0.00 26,649.10 744.00
01-Feb-02 110.88 0.00 17,644.70 672.00
01-Mar-02 126.48 0.00 16,684.30 744.00
01-Apr-02 113.40 0.00 25,554.60 720.00
01-May-02 141.36 0.00 27,109.20 744.00
01-Jun-02 64.80 0.00 33,758.50 720.00
01-Jul-02 143.22 0.00 26,939.00 744.00
01-Aug-02 85.56 0.00 27,974.30 744.00
01-Sep-02 39.60 0.00 36,695.00 720.00
01-Oct-02 7.44 0.00 44,218.00 744.00
01-Nov-02 27.00 0.00 33,023.30 720.00
01-Dec-02 14.88 0.00 52,726.40 744.00
01-Jan-03 44.64 0.00 29,653.30 744.00
01-Feb-03 110.88 0.00 13,314.30 672.00
01-Mar-03 126.48 0.00 11,880.00 744.00
01-Apr-03 113.40 0.00 18,285.00 720.00
01-May-03 141.36 0.00 18,842.30 744.00
01-Jun-03 64.80 0.00 27,695.70 720.00


This output shows that the constraint is binding in every month (Slack = 0). The Price is in units of $/GWh thus the first months shadow price on the constraint is $24.26 per MWh. This is the marginal value of relieving the capacity factor constraint in that month also equal to the equivalent shadow price of the generator.

See also: