Input Output Reference for UtilityCost:Tariff needs more text about meters for on-site power generation plus other things. (CR #8758)

Input Output Reference for UtilityCost:Tariff needs more text about meters for on-site power generation plus other things

Added on 2012-02-23 11:47 by @mjwitte

Description

MJW 23 Feb 2012
User wasn't see change in utility cost with and without PV.

1. So, I looked at the PV example files ShopWithPVandBattery, ShopWithPVandStorage, ShopWithSimplePVT and they all are using Electricity:Facility in the UtilityCost:Tariff objects - which is wrong.
2. Looked up UtilityCost:Tariff in the I/O Ref, and found these field descriptions:
   Field: Output Meter Name
   The name of any meter defined but usually set to either Electricity:Facility or Gas:Facility.

Field: Buy Or Sell
Sets whether the tariff is used for buying, selling or both to the utility. This should be allowed
to default to BuyFromUtility unless a power generation system is included in the building that
may generate more power than the building needs during the year. The choices are:
? BuyFromUtility û The values from the metered variable are used and are shown as
being purchases from the utility.
? SellToUtility û The values from the metered variable are used for a ôsell backö rate to
the utility. The charges in the rate should be expressed as negative values.
? NetMetering û Negative values are used to reduce any positive values during the
specific period on the tariff when negative values occur.
A warning will be issued if the selection of this field does not match the type of report meter.

No explanation here that you need to use one or more of these meters:
Electricity:Facility is the total electricity consumed, regardless of whether it is purchased from the utility or produced on-site.

ElectricityPurchased:Facility is power purcased from the utility when on-site generation is less that on-site consumption. (always positive)

ElectricitySurplusSold:Facility is power sold the utility when on-site generation exceeds on-site consumption. (always negative)

ElectricityNet:Facility is power consumed (Electricity:Facility) minus power produced. This meter can be positive or negative.

The I/O ref does have some examples further down that kind of explain this, but needs to be mentioned here.

1. The above meters aren't defined anywhere. Nor do these resource types (ElectricityPurchased,
   ElectricitySurplusSold, and ElectricityNet) show up in the lists in the I/O Ref Output:Meter section.
2. In the ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution sections, the output variables for power produce, purchased, etc. are defined. Seems like this might be a good place to define the associated meters as well?
3. Also, old terminology of "Report Meter" occurs in the UtilityCost section, should be "Output Meter".

MJW 21 Mar 2012
This was unassigned - not sure if I just forgot, or if I was still planning to add more to this CR. Assigning to me for now.

External Ref: Ticket 5472
Last build tested: 12.01.31 V7.1.0.003

Start with the UtilityCost:Tariff Input Output Reference, especially the Output Meter Name and Buy Or Sell fields, then compare the related examples and the Output:Meter and ElectricLoadCenter:Distribution sections. Done means documenting the on-site generation meters, listing the associated resources, and replacing the outdated “Report Meter” terminology where applicable.