diff --git a/doc/index.rst b/doc/index.rst index 9d5d6f39..927f5099 100644 --- a/doc/index.rst +++ b/doc/index.rst @@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ Documentation **References** * :doc:`release_notes` +* :doc:`limitations` * :doc:`contributing` .. toctree:: @@ -95,8 +96,20 @@ Documentation :caption: References release_notes + limitations contributing +Learning Energy System Modelling +================================ + +If you are (relatively) new to energy system modelling and optimisation +and plan to use PyPSA-Eur, the following resources are *one way* to get started +in addition to reading this documentation. + +- Documentation of `PyPSA `_, the package for + simulating and optimising modern power systems which PyPSA-Eur uses under the hood. +- Course on `Energy System Modelling `_, + Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), `Dr. Tom Brown `_ Citing PyPSA-Eur ================ diff --git a/doc/limitations.rst b/doc/limitations.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9c921f9c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/limitations.rst @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +########################################## +Limitations +########################################## + + +While the benefit of an openly available, functional and partially validated +model of the European transmission system is high, many approximations have +been made due to missing data. +The limitations of the dataset are listed below, +both as a warning to the user and as an encouragement to assist in +improving the approximations. + +- **Network topology:** + The grid data is based on a map of the ENTSO-E area that is known + to contain small distortions to improve readability. Since the exact impedances + of the lines are unknown, approximations based on line lengths and standard + line parameters were made that ignore specific conductoring choices for + particular lines. There is no openly available data on busbar configurations, switch + locations, transformers or reactive power compensation assets. + +- **Distribution networks:** + Using Voronoi cells to aggregate load and generator data to transmission + network substations ignores the topology of the underlying distribution network, + meaning that assets may be connected to the wrong substation. + +- **Power Demand:** + Assumptions + have been made about the distribution of load in each country proportional to + population and GDP that may not reflect local circumstances. + Openly available + data on load time series may not correspond to the true vertical load and is + not spatially disaggregated; assuming, as we have done, that the load time series + shape is the same at each node within each country ignores local differences. + +- **Currently installed renewable capacities:** + Information on existing wind, solar and small hydro, geothermal, marine and + biomass power plants are excluded from the dataset because of a lack of data + availability in many countries. Approximate distributions of wind and solar + plants in each country can be generated that are proportional to the capacity + factor at each location. + +- **Hydro-electric power plants:** + The database of hydro-electric power plants does not include plant-specific + energy storage information, so that blanket values based on country storage + totals have been used. Inflow time series are based on country-wide approxima- + tions, ignoring local topography and basin drainage; in principle a full hydro- + logical model should be used. + +- **International interactions:** + Border connections and power flows to Russia, + Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey and Morocco have not been taken into account; is- + lands which are not connected to the main European system, such as Malta, + Crete and Cyprus, are also excluded from the model. \ No newline at end of file