HOMER Knowledge Base

HOMER Knowledge Base

Modeling for Biogas and Heat Pump

Can HOMER model for Biogas and Heat Pump?

 

You can already model biogas power in HOMER, either by defining your own fuel or by choosing "Biogas" as the fuel for a generator.  If you have an effectively unlimited source of biogas feedstock, you should define your own biogas fuel and give it an appropriate cost.  If the feedstock supply is seasonal or limited, you should choose "Biogas" from the list of fuels, which will make the biomass resource button appear in the schematic.  In the Biomass Resource Inputs window you can specify the seasonal feedstock availability, the gasification ratio, and so on.

You can also model a generator that is cofired with biogas and diesel.  For that, check the "cofire with biogas" checkbox on the Fuel tab of the generator.

HOMER does not explicitly model a heat pump, but you could simply figure out the electric load on the heat pump and add that to the primary electric load, or specify it as the second primary load.