PROJECT 06 / 2024 to 2025

Solar, sized to the site

Photovoltaic and battery capacity optimization

ITAC / Energy research · Michigan State University

THE QUESTION

How much solar and storage does each facility actually need?

REopt workflow showing facility loads, costs, technology inputs, and optimized system outputs
Modeling workflow from my UURAF poster, coauthored with Luyao Yuan and Dr. Annick Anctil.

My contribution

For my UURAF project, I used the REopt API to model photovoltaic and battery configurations for 33 Michigan manufacturers and commercial facilities using ITAC data.

Each model accounted for the facility’s load profile, technology costs, incentives, emissions factors, and battery options. I compared system size, battery power and capacity, payback, lifetime savings, and reductions in energy demand.

The results reinforced that system sizing must follow each site’s load and constraints. All savings in the poster are modeled estimates rather than measurements from installed systems.

OUTCOME / CONTRIBUTION

Modeled 33 Michigan facilities and presented the work at UURAF 2025.

The process

  1. 01

    Model facility load and costs

  2. 02

    Optimize PV and battery configurations

  3. 03

    Compare projected savings and system sizes

Source: UURAF Poster v3; résumé.

KEEP EXPLORINGRotating shaft redesign