HOMER Pro

Standalone Microgrids

Explore the lowest-cost solutions for remote power systems, microgrids and islanded utilities

The HOMER Pro® microgrid software by UL Solutions is the global standard for optimizing microgrid design in all sectors, from village power and island utilities to grid-connected campuses and military bases.

Originally developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and enhanced and distributed by UL Solutions, HOMER (Hybrid Optimization Model for Multiple Energy Resources) nests three powerful tools in one software product, so that engineering and economics work side by side:

Three powerful tools in one software product

Simulation

At its core, HOMER is a simulation model. It will attempt to simulate a viable system for all possible combinations of the equipment that you wish to consider. Depending on how you set up your problem, HOMER may simulate hundreds or even thousands of systems.

HOMER simulates the operation of a hybrid microgrid for an entire year, in time steps from one minute to one hour.

Optimization

HOMER examines all possible combinations of system types in a single run, and then sorts the systems according to the optimization variable of choice.

HOMER Pro features our new optimization algorithm that significantly simplifies the design process for identifying least-cost options for microgrids or other distributed generation electrical power systems. HOMER Optimizer™ is a proprietary “derivative free” optimization algorithm that was designed specifically to work in HOMER.

Learn more

Sensitivity Analysis

HOMER software lets you ask as many “What if?” questions as you’d like, because you cannot control all aspects of a system, and you cannot know the importance of a particular variable or option without running hundreds or thousands of simulations and comparing the results.

HOMER makes it easy to compare thousands of possibilities in a single run. This allows you to see the impact of variables that are beyond your control, such as wind speed, fuel costs, etc, and understand how the optimal system changes with these variations.

Additional modules for even more powerful modeling capabilities

HOMER Pro can be supplemented with additional modules for even more powerful modeling capabilities. The base license lets you simulate and optimize literally an infinite number of systems using solar PV, wind, batteries, diesel generators, and even simple grid connections. You can then add capabilities to that license, which:

Click on a module to learn more about its features:

Biomass

Allows users to model biomass gasification and biogas-fueled or cofired generators. It adds the biomass resource, the biogas fuel, and the biogas-fueled or biogas cofired generator.

Learn more

Hydro

Adds the hydro resource and the hydro component. Users can specify the stream flow in the Hydro resource, either as monthly values or as an imported time series. Ideal for systems that include conventional, small, or micro hydroelectricity generation.

Learn more

Combined Heat and Power

For users who model building heating systems. Types of systems could include boilers, cogeneration, heat recovery, and any system that demands or supplies heat energy.

Learn more

Advanced Load

Users who create models with both AC and DC loads, or who want to model deferrable loads such as pumping or HVAC, should use the Advanced Load module.

Learn more

Advanced Grid

For users who will model grid-connected systems with varying grid prices, detailed grid specification, or off-grid systems where grid extension is a possibility.

Learn more

Hydrogen

Allows users to model systems that generate, store, and consume hydrogen. It is ideal for users who model fuel cells, remote off-grid operations, large industrial processes, or any system with hydrogen production, storage, or consumption.

Learn more

Advanced Storage

Unlocks the Modified Kinetic Battery Model (MKBM) in HOMER. The MKBM includes rate-dependent losses, changes in capacity with temperature, variable depth-of-discharge for cycle life, and increased degradation rate at higher temperatures.

Learn more

Multi-Year

Allows users to model changes that can occur over the course of a project, such as PV degradation, grid price escalation, load growth, and fuel price escalation.

Learn more

MATLAB Link

Allows users to write their own dispatch algorithm in MATLAB, which will integrate with the HOMER Pro software.

Learn more

Learn more about HOMER Pro:

“We are amazed at both the thoroughness of the software and the design complexity that it allows us to relatively quickly evaluate. To our knowledge, there is no other software on the market that matches HOMER for the purpose of designing renewable energy systems.”

Start your free trial now

We encourage you to take advantage of the full-featured 21-day trial in order to fully explore HOMER Pro’s capabilities, and then find a licensing scheme that works for you.

HOMER Pro runs on all Windows Operating Systems that are currently supported by Microsoft.