REopt Optimizes Real-Time Operation of NREL's Campus

REopt informs operation of NREL campus energy storage assets. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL 43372

As part of NREL's Intelligent Campus project, the REopt^® model will help determine optimal dispatch strategies to reduce operating costs and increase efficiencies across multiple buildings as well as across multiple distributed generation technologies. The Intelligent Campus is a next generation platform for integrated energy informatics, advanced analytics, and actionable insights—fundamental to making NREL’s operations resilient, secure, and as efficient and effective as financially possible.

One of REopt's core capabilities is determining the minimum cost dispatch strategy for an energy storage resource. By inputting weather forecast information and load predictions (rather than historical data), REopt will be part of a Model Predictive Control system for determining when to charge and discharge NREL's energy storage assets. REopt's storage dispatch strategy is designed to meet multiple objectives, including peak shaving for demand charge reduction, capitalizing on energy arbitrage, and prolonging battery lifetime.