We have released version 2.16 of our building energy demand simulation tool GenSim. This release focuses on updating the underlying simulation engine EnergyPlus™, via intermediary framework OpenStudio, to the newest version and on making GenSim ready to be integrated into a larger ecosystem of tools. The used OpenStudio version has been updated to 3.10, which in turn uses EnergyPlus™ version 25.1. The mechanism for reading the outputs from the simulation has been reworked and the auxiliary outputs in “Gebäudebilanz” (the building energy balance) have been refactored to use different output variables of EnergyPlus™. It is now also possible to import (some) IFC models in addition to OSM and IDF files. Furthermore it is no longer necessary to use DDY files for the automatic sizing of the heating and cooling systems, the new default behaviour uses the weather data that is already a required input.

The latest releases if GenSim can be found here and a user manual is available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 0.13.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release focuses on advanced options for control and operational behaviour, particularly as it relates to busses. New options are now available for controlling the precise priorities of inputs and outputs on a bus, including switching the priorities and the allowed energy flow depending on profiles. Further changes with this version include improvements in the calculation speed of geothermal collectors, a new component to better model power networks and changes that make it easier to accurately simulate large heat storages on a multi-year timescale.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 0.12.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release introduces extended output options that allow energy and temperature flows between components connected via busses to be exported and visualised, enabling more detailed system analysis. It also adds new component models for solar thermal collectors (STC) and seasonal thermal energy storage (STES). Further improvements include enhanced heat pump modelling with multiple operation modes, new and more flexible control modules, and a complete rework of temperature handling across components and busses. In addition, numerous smaller improvements, scenario updates, and bugfixes make this release more robust and easier to use.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 0.11.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release introduces a new CLI for performing simulations with ReSiE, which provides more information on the progress of a run, as well as improved performance when multiple runs are performed in succession. Another focus of the release are updates to the energy system component models, implementing detailed models for heat pumps, geothermal collectors and short-term thermal energy storage (STTES) also called buffer tanks. In addition, working with external profile data, for example weather files, has been improved.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 0.10.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release reworks how time is handled in the input of the simulation and how time is formatted in the profiles used by the engine. These changes both increase usability by allowing users to specify time in a more human-readable way as well as helping to clarify what the output means. Other changes since the last release include an improved implementation of geothermal probes and improvements of the mechanism to handle different temperatures of components processing heat.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 0.9.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release reworks how operational strategies, which are control mechanisms that extend beyond those covered by bus component, are implemented. In the new implementation components can be assigned control modules, that each control the operation of the component via defined callbacks. Multiple control modules can be combined in different ways to cover various use cases. Further improvements to this new implementation will likely follow in the future and will be based on the foundation laid with this update.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

Open source launch of SoDeLe for simple photovoltaics simulation

SoDeLe (loosely translated as “Solar simulation as easy as can be”) is an easy-to-use tool for calculating energy profiles of photovoltaic systems. It is based on the well-validated python-pvlib, but offers a user-friendly GUI based on Microsoft-Excel® (and a CLI with JSON input). SoDeLe can simulate PV systems with parameters from real PV modules and inverters with different orientations. Alternatively, preset standard modules and a constant DC-AC efficiency can be selected. The database of parameters contains more than 35,000 PV modules from various manufacturers. The simulation is based on a weather file, which can be either an EWP file (EnergyPlus® Weather File) or a .dat file from the German Weather Service (DWD).

The latest release can be found here and a short user manual is available within the README of the repository.

We have released version 0.8.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release builds on the changes of the previous release v0.7.0, which introduced a lot of new things in regards to how the energy flow and distribution works on busses. With v0.8.0 we finalise these changes and brought the simulation model of ReSiE more closely to a finished state as we envision it. There will be further changes and additional features down the line to address the current modelling challenges when working with district networks.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 2.15b of our tool GenSim. This addendum to the latest full release contains various building types as parameter sets ready to be imported. On the basis of this typology new types and custom projects can be modeled more easily than before.

We have released version 0.7.0 of our energy system simulation engine ReSiE. This release was developed over some time and contains many internal changes to better support various energy systems and use cases we envision for the future. However we are not done with refactoring and continue to improve our engine to cover a wider range of use cases. Please note that ReSiE in general is still in an early stage and might not be suited for use in projects without consultation on the current capabilities and limitations.

The latest release can be found here and details are available on the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

We have released version 2.15 of our tool GenSim that is now fully open source, including a graphical user interface (GUI) based on Microsoft-Excel® (currently available in German only, however the English version will follow soon). GenSim calculates the energy demand for heating, cooling and electric loads of an individual building as yearly high-resolution profiles. The underlying generic building model makes it possible to model any building type. For all necessary parameters, standard data sets for common building types are available directly in the GUI (focus currently on german standards). The Geometry can be defined using a simple generic approach or by importing an own geometry model. An individual building can thus be modelled quickly, which is necessary when modelling entire districts. GenSim uses EnergyPlus® v9 as the simulation engine to perform physics-based thermal building simulation based on the framework that OpenStudio® provides.

The latest release can be found here and a detailed user manual is available within the documentation of the QuaSi-Projekt.

For citation of this release, use the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10200808