energytransition / esdl

Energy System Description Language

Energy System Description Language (ESDL)

The Energy System Description Language (ESDL) is a modelling language created for modelling the components in an energy system and their relations towards each other. Furthermore ESDL is capable of expressing the dynamic behavior of components in the energy system. For instance the power consumption of a neighborhood. ESDL describes components by their basic functionalities (Energy Capabilities) which are modelled in 5 abstract categories: Production, Consumption, Storage, Transport and Conversion. ESDL enables energy modellers to model a complex energy system in a generic way. The language is machine readable so makers of energy transition calculation tools and GIS applications can support ESDL in order to enforce the interoperability of their products.

Why ESDL

The energy system is in a transition towards a sustainable, less CO2 emitting system. Achieving this requires large adaptions of the structure and behavior of the energy system. Furthermore a comprehensive insight in the system is necessary. However the energy system is complex. It exists out of a vast number of assets/components which are connected to each other via various types of infrastructures. Besides that to fully understand the dynamics of an energy system, comprehending the dynamic behavior of the assets/components required. ESDL aims to model this complex structure and behavior of the energy system into one generic language. Resulting in a harmonized way of modeling energy data, this enables reusability and interoperability.

Example application areas

ESDL can be used for:

• Energy transition calculation tools: A common language for energy transition calculation tools. To describe inputs and outputs of those tools.
• Energy Information System: A basis for a central energy information system where the energy system of a certain region is registered.
• ESDL can be used as a language for (local) governments to model and share their (local) energy system information.
• Monitoring evolution of an energy system: Furthermore, multiple ESDL snapshots of a certain area over time provide insight in the evolution of an energy system.

Getting started

• Detailed documentation of ESDL can be found here: https://energytransition.gitbook.io/esdl/

• The ESDL model reference documentation can be found here: https://energytransition.github.io/ This website describes the classes, attributes and references in detail and is easy navigatable.

• Information on tooling for ESDL can be found here: https://energytransition.gitbook.io/esdl/esdl-based-tools Those pages describe (graphical)editors for ESDL, Java integration and Python integration examples

Contribute to ESDL

Contributions to ESDL can be done by pull requests.

If you want to contact the ESDL team, please follow this link

esdl's Issues

VehicleTypeEnum: CAR and TRUCK seem to have no value

Add perScope to QuantityAndUnitType

per Connection, per Household, per Building, per ...

Add additional classes for offices, factories, ... (everything other than houses)

Optional: Rename building to house?

Add ESDL Model Author's intended timeframe

ESDL is used for simulations. May include Profile IDs referring to existing profiles of limited time. They may include commissioning/decommissioning dates, that give an idea about which timeframes this ESDL model may be simulated.

But missing is info on what this ESDL model's intended and usable period is. Eg. This model can be used to simulate 2030-01-01T00:00Z until 2050-01-01T00:00Z (so with the last timestep being from 23:00 to 00:00). Model authors can indicate this way that they guarantee the profiles and asset information is correct for this timeframe, and this info can be used to check before doing a run.

Support multiple units and perUnits in QuantityAndUnitType

E.g. support VA or J/kg.K

FillLevel of Battery

The fill level of the storage asset as a percentage of its capacity
If ESDL file is self-contained, then this does not make sense. Fill level is state at a point in time.

It could mean Initial Fill Level (at commissioning date, eg.).
If it means initial fill level at start of simulation run, then we need some more information on a simulation run. I'll make a different issue of that. :)

What parameters should be added for Aggregated Buildings?

Pipeline asset?

The ESDL documentation mentions some Transport Assets:

https://energytransition.gitbook.io/esdl/esdl-concepts/data-types/items-assets-and-energyassets/overview-of-energyassets#transport-assets

And there is

ElectricityCable

https://energytransition.github.io/#router/doc-content/687474703a2f2f7777772e746e6f2e6e6c2f6573646c/ElectricityCable.html

to describe detailed topology for electric connections.

=> Is there something similar for gas pipelines or generic energy pipelines?

My use case will be CO2 pipelines and it would be interesting to not only model
straight pipelines from sources to sinks but also pipelines following distinct routes.

Typo: "TERA" in MultiplierEnum is spelled "TERRA"

Add CompoundEnergyAsset

For the EYE simulator we regularly use Compound Assets to represent Assets that have some sub-assets, but that should behave integrated as one actor on the market place. Eg. Electrolyzer + Battery, Electrolyzer + HydrogenStore, Wind park + Battery.

These are always Energy Assets and we implement helper methods in Energy Asset Mixin.
Our CompoundAsset should be able to use these methods and currently is not.
So we need a CompoundEnergyAsset that is a subtype of EnergyAsset. Can this be added to ESDL?

What to do with profiles with a distribution (variance)?

Explain In/Outport of Network.

Description of In and Outport doesn't say how to connect Assets to ElectricityNetwork. I assume Producers connect to the Inport and the Consumers connect to the Outport. Hybrid Assets (Producer and Consumer), are a problem? Or do they have two connections?

Enum ordering: MultiplierEnum

If MultiplierEnum is ordered from smallest to largest, parsing and processing them by "value" will be a lot easier.

Find proper way of modelling/combining EnergyCarrier and Commodities

Use GML for geometries

Decommissioning date semantics and description

Decommissioning date is 'exclusive'. The commissioning/decommissioning date is often used, to model change of an asset, like so.

Implementing code should not have two batteries at timestamp 2030-01-01T00:00.
Add clarification to decommissioningdate.
Decommissioning date says if this date is in the future, the asset is decommissioned.
Should be, if the decommissioning date is now, or in the future the asset is decommissioned.

Do we want to be able to add insulation as an asset to a building?

Typo: SymetricVariance

Symetric -> Symmetric in name of SymetricVariance Class.

How to describe LegalAreas

Example: Areas where groundwater is used to generate drinking water