2023.01.1

CHPs for local agriculture heat demand

It is now possible to install combined heat and power (CHP) units, that supply heat to meet local demand from agriculture. You can set the share of heat demand that is supplied by these local CHPs in the Demand → Agriculture → Heat section. The capacities of different types of CHPs can then be set in the Demand → Agriculture → Heat from local CHPs section.

Two charts have been added, one that shows you the total local heat supply and demand per year. The other chart (see below) also shows you the electricity flows that are produced by the CHPs.

Electricity storage in electric buses, vans and trucks

As the number of electric vehicles increases, it is becoming increasingly interesting to utilize the batteries that are present in those vehicles during hours when they are not used for transportation. It was already possible to use batteries in electric cars to provide storage services to the electricity grid, and now this is also possible for electric buses, vans and trucks.

Go to the Flexibility → Electricity storage → Batteries in electric vehicles section, to see how you can put these batteries to use. The total available battery storage volume does depend on the number of electric vehicles in your scenario, which you can determine in the Demand → Transport section.

Chart sets

In the 'See more charts' pop-up, you can now choose to load multiple charts at once. With a single click on "System overview" you will open a predetermined selection of charts and tables that provide you with a full overview of your energy system.

If you would like to add another set of charts, please contact Quintel.

2023.01

Single sign-on

The Energy Transition Model has a new system for signing in. Aside from a new look to the login and account pages, the ETM should work much as it always has.

The new system allows us to associate your scenarios with your account, ensuring that only you can make changes to them. As before, they will default to being public, allowing other visitors to view and copy your scenarios, but not edit them. If you prefer to keep your scenarios private, you can change the privacy setting in your account settings. Private scenarios can only be viewed by their owner: you.

Alternatively, it is possible to change the privacy setting of individual saved scenarios. To do this, head to your saved scenarios page, click on the scenario you'd like to change, and then on the "Public/Private" dropdown on the right side of the page.

API

Users of our API can also benefit from the added security provided by authentication by using personal access tokens. You can now list all of your scenarios, delete scenarios, as well as work with saved scenarios and transition paths.

A detailed list of changes is available on our documentation website.

2022.11

First Asian country is now available: Singapore

Singapore has been added to the ETM as the first city-state and the first Asian country. This also means it is now easier to add countries outside of the EU to the ETM. Select Singapore as a region when starting a new scenario to start exploring its energy system!

Addition of ammonia

Shipping of liquified green ammonia (and then reforming it to hydrogen) is seen as a more practical option for importing large amounts of green hydrogen than transporting the hydrogen directly. The possibility to import ammonia and convert it to hydrogen using a reformer has therefore been added to the model.

In addition to that, it is possible to use ammonia directly in the fertilizer industry, or as a transport fuel in domestic or international navigation.

Addition of Autothermal reforming

A new hydrogen production technology has been added to the model: Autothermal reforming (ATR). This is a proven technology that uses natural gas to produce hydrogen. You can set its installed capacity in Supply → Hydrogen → Hydrogen production.

The main benefit of ATR compared to the common hydrogen production technology Steam methane reforming (SMR), is that it allows for the capture of a higher share of CO₂ emissions. You can add carbon capture for the ATR in Emissions → CCUS → Capture of CO₂.

New CO2 intensity of hydrogen chart

A new chart that allows you to compare the CO₂ intensity of different hydrogen production routes have been added to the model. You can select the chart from the chart selection or go to Supply → Hydrogen → CO₂ emissions of imported hydrogen.

New electricity mix for power-to-gas chart

Another useful chart has been added. This chart shows you the electricity mix used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis, also known as power-to-gas. You can select the chart from the chart selection or go to Flexibility → Electricity conversion → Conversion to hydrogen.

Analysis of the need for flexibility

For the gaseous carriers hydrogen and network gas, hourly balancing of supply and demand is performed by storage. There are however technical and economical limitations to the extent to which storage volume can be realized in an area. This is especially relevant when different types of large-scale underground storage are required. Some storage may be required to handle short-term variations in supply and demand, while additional storage volume may be necessary to deal with long-term seasonal variations.

A new section and table have been added that can help you assess the different storage needs. You can find them in Flexibility → Overview → The need for flexibility: timescales.

2022.10

New transport technologies for ships and planes

For domestic navigation, also known as inland shipping, it is now possible to switch to electric ships. You can determine the share of electric ships in the total transportation by domestic navigation in Demand → Transport → Freight transport → Domestic navigation technology.

For domestic aviation technology, or more simply put, plane transport, two new technologies have been added to the model. In addition to kerosene, gasoline and bio-ethanol, you can switch to either electricity or hydrogen. Go to Demand → Transport → Passenger transport → Domestic aviation technology to check it out.

New heating technologies in agriculture

In the agriculture sector, you can now choose to install a water heat pump. This is an electric water-water heat pump that uses a water reservoir as its heat source. Only a small amount of electricity is then still required to bring the water to the desired temperature, making it much more efficient than a simple electric boiler. You can find the heat pump in Demand → Agriculture → Heat.

In the same section, you can now also install power-to-heat capacity for agriculture. This is an electric boiler that is fitted to existing natural gas or hydrogen heaters, making them hybrid heaters. The hybrid heater uses electricity when the electricity price is below the maximum willingness to pay. If the electricity price exceeds the willingness to pay, the heater switches to its original fuel source (either gas or hydrogen). You can set this willingness to pay in Flexibility → Electricity conversion → Conversion to heat for agriculture.

2022.09

Update of the transition path charts tool

The transition path charts tool has had a significant update. With this tool, you can open one of your scenarios and explore what happens between the start and end year. You can easily make changes to the slider settings for various intermediate years and thereby shape the transition path towards the future.

The update includes an improved interface, various new charts that now allow you to toggle between area and bar charts, a table view underneath the charts and the possibility to easily export data as CSV files. Check out the updated tool here!

Addition of small modular nuclear reactors

A new type of nuclear power plants has been added to the model: small modular reactors. This novel technology is now available next to the existing large reactor 2nd and 3rd generation nuclear power plants. Go to Supply → Electricity → Nuclear plants to add them to your scenario.

Load shifting in the central ICT sector

Load shifting is a form of demand side response where electricity consumers can choose to delay their electricity demand. In hours where the electricity price is deemed too high, these consumers will reduce their demand. When the price drops again, they will then compensate for the accumulated deficit by increasing their demand.

This form of demand-side response was already available for the metal, chemical, and other industry. It is now also available for the central ICT sector, which covers data centers, telecom, and other information and communication services. You can add load shifting for the central ICT under Flexibility → Net load → Demand response - load shifting in industry.

2022.07

Hydrogen-powered ships

Hydrogen-powered ships are now available as a technology in the transport sector. Hydrogen can be used as fuel for inland shipping, also known as domestic navigation. Go to the Demand → Transport → Freight transport section to check it out. It can also be used as a fuel for maritime shipping, or international navigation, which you can set at the Demand → Transport → International transport section.

Hybrid hydrogen heat pump for buildings

In addition to a hybrid heat pump that uses gas, it is now also possible to heat the buildings in your scenario with a hybrid heatpump that uses hydrogen. You can find this new heating technology in the Demand → Buildings → Space heating section.

2022.05

Production release on 3rd May 2022

2022.04

Additions and improvements for EU countries

With the inclusion of Cyprus, Estonia and Malta, all countries of the EU are now included in the model! You can check out these countries by selecting one of them in the region dropdown when starting a new scenario.

Freight transport by vans

Instead of being included in truck transport, vans are now shown in the model as a separate category of their own. This enables you to make different choices for developments in trucks and vans technologies and their use in the Demand → Transport → Freight transport section.

Explore Demand Side Response in industry

You can now explore the effects of Demand Side Response in the industry on the sub-sector level in the Flexibility section of the model, under Net Load.

Capacity to shift the electricity demand can be installed for the metal, chemical, and other industry. In hours when the electricity price is too high, the sector will then be able to decrease its demand. The shortage that accumulates during those hours is caught up at a later time, when the electricity price is lower, thereby saving costs for industry.

2022.03

production-2022-03-01

Production release on 1st March 2022

2021.09

Determine the oil mix and add bio oil

It is now possible to determine the oil mix and add bio oils for households, buildings, industry and agriculture. You can do this under Supply → Biomass → Mix of oil and oil products.

Hydrogen trains

Hydrogen trains are seen as an opportunity to replace diesel trains. You can now add hydrogen trains to your scenario by using the new slider in Demand → Transport → Passenger transport → Train technology.

CCS Waste incinerators

Even though waste incinerators are seen as renewable energy producers, they still emit greenhouse gases. With Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) it is possible to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases, making waste incineration more climate-friendly. You can now add CCS to waste incinerators in Emissions → CCUS → Capture of CO₂.

Air heat pump buildings

Air heat pumps in buildings are used as a method to provide heating or cooling. Previously it was not possible to incorporate air heat pumps within buildings but with the addition of a heat pump slider in Demand → Buildings → Space heating & Cooling you can add them to your scenario.