The fuel cell Dispatch page provides options for defining how to operate the fuel cell stack and battery bank.
The battery storage dispatch options available depend on whether the system is in front of the electric utility meter (PPA Single Owner financial model) or behind the meter (Commercial financial model).
Fuel Cell Operation
The fuel cell operation parameters determine the fuel cell operates.
Dispatch Options
Fixed output
Operate the fuel cell at a fixed percentage of the fuel cell rated capacity at all times.
Fixed output percentage
For the fixed output option, specify the percentage of the fuel cell rated capacity from the Fuel Cell page. This input is disabled unless you choose the Fixed output dispatch option.
Follow electric load
Operate the fuel cell to follow the electric load defined on the Electric Load page.
Note. This option does not apply to the front of meter configuration (PPA single owner financial model).
Manual dispatch
Operate the fuel cell according to the Manual Dispatch parameters and schedules.
Note. The fuel cell manual dispatch option requires that you enable the battery on the Battery Storage even if the system does not include a battery. If the system does not include a battery, choose Enable Battery on the Battery Storage page, choose Set desired bank size, and set Desired bank power and Desired bank capacity both to zero to effectively disable the battery and enable manual dispatch. You can also follow the prompts when you choose manual dispatch to have SAM do that automatically.
Input dispatch
Operate the fuel cell according to a time series dispatch profile that you provide.
Input dispatch schedule
For the input dispatch option, click Edit array to provide a time series array of either kW or percentage values at which to operate the fuel cell in each simulation time step.
Operation Options
Allowed to shut down
Allow the fuel cell to shut down completely when it is not not needed to meet dispatch requirements.
Idle at minimum power
Run the fuel cell at the minimum unit output from the Fuel Cell page when it is not needed to meet dispatch requirements.
Storage Battery Dispatch (Behind Meter)
The battery dispatch options determine when the battery charges and discharges. The charge options determine any limits on how the battery can charge or discharge.
Dispatch Options
Choose the dispatch option that most closely represents when you want the battery to charge and discharge.
Notes.
The list below provides a brief description of each option. To see a detailed description of each heading, click the appropriate grey and blue heading below to expand the detailed description.
If you are modeling grid outages to calculate resiliency metrics, during an outage the battery switches to a special dispatch mode that prioritizes meeting the load, regardless of the dispatch option you choose.
Peak shaving
Dispatch the battery to reduce peak demand. Use this option when the electricity rate structure includes energy rates with kWh/kW units or demand charges and you want to use the battery to reduce billing demand.
Input grid power targets
Dispatch the battery in response to time series grid power target data you provide to ensure the power from the grid is at or below the target power levels.
Input battery power targets
Dispatch the battery according to time series charge and discharge power values you provide. Use this option when you know exactly how you want the battery to charge and discharge.
Manual dispatch
Dispatch the battery based on month-by-hour weekday and weekend schedules you provide. Use this option to dispatch the battery in response to time-of-use electricity rates.
Retail rate dispatch
Dispatch the battery to minimize the energy and demand charge portions of the monthly electricity bill.
Self-consumption
Dispatch the battery to minimize power to and from the grid.
Charge Options
The charge options control how the battery can charge and discharge. SAM enables and disables (greys out) the options as appropriate for the dispatch option and whether the battery is DC- or AC-connected.
Battery can charge from grid
Allow power from the grid to charge the battery.
Battery can charge from system
Allow the photovoltaic array or other power system to charge the battery.
Battery can charge from grid-limited system power
Allow the battery to charge from power in excess of the interconnection limit or from curtailed power when the interconnection limit is enabled and/or curtailment is specified on the Grid Limits page.
Battery can charge from clipped system power
For a photovoltaic array with DC-connected battery, allow the photovoltaic array to charge the battery when the array DC power exceeds the inverter nominal DC input power.
Battery can discharge to grid
Allow the battery to discharge to the grid.
Charge from system only when system output exceeds load
Allow the photovoltaic array or other power system to charge the battery only when the system AC output is greater than the load.
Discharge battery only when load exceeds system output
Allow the battery to discharge only when the load is greater than the photovoltaic or other power system AC output.
Battery can charge from fuel cell
For system with fuel cells, allow the battery to charge from the fuel cell. (This option is only visible for fuel cell configurations.)
Storage Battery Dispatch (Front of Meter)
The battery dispatch options determine when the battery charges and discharges. The charge options determine any limits on how the battery can charge or discharge.
Dispatch Options
Choose the dispatch option that most closely represents when you want the battery to charge and discharge.
Note. The list below provides a brief description of each option. To see a detailed description of each heading, click the appropriate grey and blue heading below to expand the detailed description.
Automated dispatch
Automated dispatch dispatches the battery in response to changes in the power price to maximize revenue from power sales. Use this option for PPA projects that involve time-of-delivery price multipliers or Merchant Plant projects.
PV smoothing
PV smoothing dispatches the battery for photovoltaic-battery systems to limit power ramp rates at the grid interconnection point. Use this option for projects required to meet ramp rate limits. This option is available for PV battery and Custom Generation Profile - Battery systems. It is not available for standalone batteries.
Dispatch to custom time series
Dispatch the battery according to time series charge and discharge power values you provide. Use this option when you know exactly how you want the battery to charge and discharge.
Manual dispatch
No automation. You specify the timing of battery charges and discharges manually using up to six dispatch periods and a set of weekday and weekend hourly profiles by month. Use this option when you want the battery to charge and discharge according to daily or seasonal schedules.
Charge Options
Choose the source of power for charging the battery. SAM enables and disables (greys out) the options as appropriate for the dispatch option and whether the battery is DC- or AC-connected.
Battery can charge from grid
Allow the grid to charge the battery.
Battery can charge from system
Allow the system to charge the battery.
Battery can charge from grid-limited system power
Allow the battery to charge from power in excess of the interconnection limit or from curtailed power when the interconnection limit is enabled and/or curtailment is specified on the Grid Limits page.
Battery can charge from clipped system power
For DC-connected batteries with a photovoltaic system, allow DC array power in excess of the inverter's nominal DC input power to charge the battery.