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Output Variables

Tulipa's user workflow is a work-in-progress. For now, you can export the complete raw solution to CSV files using TulipaEnergyModel.export_solution_to_csv_files. Below is a description of the exported data. Files may be missing if the associated features were not included in the analysis.

Output Tables Format

There are two types of outputs:

  1. Variables: All tables/files starting with var_show the values of variables in the optimal solution, with leading columns specifying the indices of each solution value.

  2. Duals: All tables/files starting with cons_ show the dual value in the optimal solution for each constraint, with leading columns specifying the indices of each dual value. Remember that the dual represents the incremental change in the optimal solution per unit increase in the right-hand-side (bound) of the constraint - which in a minimal cost optimisation corresponds to an increase in cost.

Units

TulipaEnergyModel is inherently unitless, meaning the units are directly taken from the input data. For example, if all costs are given in thousands of euros, then the objective function is also in thousands of euros. So a "change in the objective function" would mean a €1k increase/decrease.

Each output table has three types of columns:

  1. Indices: Parameters on which the output variable or dual is indexed, including:
    • asset: Unique name of the asset.
    • from_asset: For a flow, the origin asset.
    • to_asset: For a flow, the terminal asset.
    • year: Equivalent to milestone_year. (Will be fixed in future release.)
    • milestone_year: Year of investment and operation decisions.
    • commission_year: Commissioning year of an asset (used for unique asset identification).
    • rep_period: Number of the representative period.
    • time_block_start: Start of the time block of the representative period.
    • time_block_end: End of the time block of the representative period.
    • period_block_start: Start of the time block of the timeframe (mostly relevant for seasonal storage).
    • period_block_end: Start of the time block of the timeframe (mostly relevant for seasonal storage).
  2. Associated input parameters: Listed per table below
  3. Solution or dual_constraint_name: Value of the variable or dual in the solution, described below.

Variable Tables

var_assets_decommission_energy

For a storage asset that has storage_method_energy commissioned in commission_year, the optimal decommissioning (decrease) of asset energy capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity_storage_energy of asset.

Associated input parameters: investment_integer_storage_energy, capacity_storage_energy

var_assets_decommission

For an asset commissioned in commission_year, the optimal decommissioning (decrease) of asset capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity of asset.

Associated input parameters: decommissionable, initial_units, investment_integer, capacity

var_assets_investment_energy

For a storage asset that has storage_method_energy, the optimal investment (increase) in asset energy capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity_storage_energy of asset.

Associated input parameters: investable, investment_integer_storage_energy, capacity_storage_energy, investment_limit_storage_energy

var_assets_investment

For an asset, the optimal investment (increase) in asset capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity of asset.

Associated input parameters: investable, investment_integer, capacity, investment_limit

var_flow

For a flow, the optimal flow (of energy) during a particular rep_period between time_block_start and time_block_end, expressed in the same units as capacity of flow.

Associated input parameter: efficiency

var_flows_decommission

For a transport flow commissioned in commission_year, the optimal decommissioning (decrease) of flow capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity of flow.

Associated input parameter: decommissionable, investment_integer, capacity

var_flows_investment

For a transport flow, the optimal investment (increase) in flow capacity in milestone_year, expressed in the same units as capacity of flow.

Associated input parameters: investable, investment_integer, capacity, investment_limit

var_storage_level_over_clustered_year

For a storage asset in a specific year and between period_start and period_end, the optimal storage level BETWEEN representative periods, expressed in the same units as capacity_storage_energy of asset.

var_storage_level_rep_period

For a storage asset in a specific year and between period_start and period_end, the optimal storage level WITHIN representative periods, expressed in the same units as capacity_storage_energy of asset.

var_units_on

For an asset, the optimal dispatch (operation) during a particular rep_period between time_block_start and time_block_end, expressed in the same units as capacity of asset.

Associated input parameter: unit_commitment_integer

Constraint Dual Tables

cons_balance_hub

cons_balance_consumer

cons_balance_conversion

cons_balance_storage_over_clustered_year

cons_balance_storage_rep_period

cons_capacity_incoming

cons_capacity_outgoing

cons_limit_units_on

Associated input parameter: unit_commitment_integer

cons_max_output_flow_with_basic_unit_commitment

cons_max_ramp_with_unit_commitment

cons_min_output_flow_with_unit_commitment

cons_transport_flow_limit

Associated parameter: var_flow_id: Unique flow ID used internally by TulipaEnergyModel.