Simulation

Simulation management

After a scenario is selected in the scenario tree, the simulation management can be found in the header under Single check and run. After starting Check scenario or Run simulation, the current state of all scenario inputs is exported into the High Performance Cluster (HPC) in the background. The user can check the current status of the run in the simulation management. After a simulation is started, the input dataset can be changed in parallel. To consider such changes a new run must be started.

The result of Check scenario (data check) is displayed in the simulation management and exported into the file stdout.log. The displayed error list includes an understandable error messages and specific recommendations for solving. The version of the software core used to create any outputs is included in the header of stdout.log. After a successful scenario check, the platform runs simulations via Run simulation unattended and uninterrupted, so no manual inputs or popup boxes need to be approved. The simulations run in a HPC with multiple instances running in parallel. Node scheduling, simulation monitoring, result storing and others are fully automated.

After a run ends, the input data and all result files can be downloaded via click on Download output. The market simulation run is successfully, error-free and fully done if the last three lines in stdout.log display the total procedure time.

Two clicks on Delete in the simulation management will delete the according simulation dataset without any possibility for restoration. This does not affect the scenario input data since it is saved independently. So there can be a series of simulation runs (with different inputs) in a single scenario. Runs are shown in start time stamp inverse order in the simulation management list.

Result analysis

The result analysis can be done manually via result files from the simulation management (see simulation management). Alternatively, analysis can be carried out via the toolkit in the front-end. Currently, the following figures are available. All figures are made with the target to compare simulation results visually. All graphs are based on result files and load automatically in several seconds.

• Balances for energy, power, emission and cost including filter for bidding zones and technologies
• Zone-by-zone graphs for generation, consumption, exchanges, spot prices, net positions, unavailable generation capacities, remaining generation capacities, residual loads, fuel consumptions and emissions (for example for 8760 hours in Germany)
• Unit-by-unit graphs for commitments, average cost, marginal cost, hydro flows, hydro filling levels, fuel consumptions (for example for 8760 hours of a single component)
• Social welfare components like consumer rent, producer rent and congestion rent (for all bidding zones)
• Numeric assessments in graphs of thermal power plants, hydro power plants, grid capacities, flexible demand and RES (for all components in a bidding zone)
• Visual assessments in maps of thermal power plants, hydro power plants, grid capacities, flexible demand and RES (for all components)

Additionally, simulation results can be uploaded in the section Output compare so that the simulation result can be compared with the uploaded data in the front-end. Manual analysis of simulation results can also be done through downloading the full output dataset (see simulation management).