Scope and limitations

The pvcompare model evolved during the H2020 project GRECO with the purpose of analysing the integration of three innovative PV techologies, that are developed within the project, into energy systems in comparison to the state of the art technologies. These three technologies are

  • concentrator-PV (CPV),

  • a multi-junction of perovskite and silicon (PSI) and

  • PV powered heat pumps.

Therefore, the model focuses on photovoltaics, while including sector-coupling through heat pumps (and chillers). However, a shift of focus is possible and can easily be integrated. Concerning the components of the energy system, you can use any of the components listed in the MVS documentation. There you also find information on packages for calculating feed-in time series of other fluctuating renewable energies than PV. Checkout Define your own components and parameters for information on how to include more components into the simulated energy system.

pvcompare further focuses on residential areas in cities (also see Local energy sytem). Therefore, assumptions for demand and buildings (available area for PV on façades) are based on this use case. However, users can provide their own demand time series, adjust the building assumptions (see building_parameters.csv) or only allow roof-top PV (see pv_setup.csv) in their simulations. This way other use cases like detached houses (single-family houses) or industrial areas can be analyzed, as well.

The default energy system modelled with pvcompare has only one node, meaning that within the energy system, energy can be shared without restrictions through power connections between the buildings (“Coper Plate”). An analysis of the interconnection of several buildings with restrictions in power lines or due to billing are not content of this model. However, a system with multiple nodes can be implemented with pvcompare by connecting single energy systems (e.g. of one building or a group of buildings) via multiple transfomer components. The transmission capacity between the nodes can be restricted by either setting a maximum capacity constraint or an installed capacity, while setting optimizeCap to False. This has not been tested, yet.

As pvcompare builds on other packages, there are inherited limitations. Checkout the limitations of the MVS.