Michael Stadler and Chris Marnay
 

DER-CAM Model Download

General Information

To run the DER-CAM model from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory a valid GAMS 22 and GAMS Input Output Manager (abbreviation: UFII GamsManager) installation on your WindowsXP operating system is necessary. A free GAMS trial version is not sufficient to run DER-CAM!

GAMS provides a working platform to create a model and solve a certain problem. But, it is not designed to manipulate data easily. It can be very difficult to introduce a new data set and make sensitivity analyses with variations in input data.
GAMS Input Output Manager closes this gab and provides a User Friendly Input Interface (=UFII). The tool reads the data from the GAMS text file and formats it to be able to work with large data sets easily.
GAMS Input Output Manager is designed to work with a copy of the original GAMS text file. If you open a GAMS text file, GAMS Input Output Manager makes a copy of the original text file and if you modify data you always modify the copy which prevents the original file from overwriting or data corruption. The tool is able to read any GAMS file as long as the GAMS syntax follows the general roles and the tables are not specified with the ‘include statement’. In other words, all tables have to be incorporated in the GAMS file, directly. Furthermore, the table data has to be separated by spaces and not by commas (‘,’). This limitation will be removed by future versions.

Starting with version 3.1.3 the tool supports DER-CAM (Distributed Energy Resource – Costumer Adoption Model) files of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. DER-CAM is an optimization model that identifies optimal DER (Distributed Energy Resource) investment choice and operation for a site given:
- Energy use profiles
- Local tariffs and fuel prices
- DER equipment options.

DER-CAM files are indicated by the file extension *.cam. However, the DER-CAM feature in UFII GamsManager must be enabled by signing a copyright agreement. To sign such an agreement please contact C_Marnay@lbl.gov or MStadler@lbl.gov.

However, the tool provides you with a free trial function to use DER-CAM (*.cam) files up to 25 times without the need to sign a copyright agreement. You have to sign a copyright agreement as explained above if all free trial sessions are used.

Different copyrights apply for GAMS Input Output Manager:

System Requirements to run UFII GamsManager / DER-CAM model

General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS)

The General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) is specifically designed for modeling linear, nonlinear and mixed integer optimization problems. The system is especially useful with large, complex problems. GAMS is available for use on personal computers, workstations, mainframes and supercomputers.
GAMS allows the user to concentrate on the modeling problem by making the setup simple. The system takes care of the time-consuming details of the specific machine and system software implementation.
GAMS is especially useful for handling large, complex, one-of-a-kind problems which may require many revisions to establish an accurate model. The system models problems in a highly compact and natural way. The user can change the formulation quickly and easily, can change from one solver to another, and can even convert from linear to nonlinear with little trouble.

For more information please refer to http://www.gams.com/.

Please note, if there is no valid CPLEX enabled GAMS installation on your WindowsXP system, you are not able to perform optimization runs, but you can open GAMS or DER-CAM files as well as result files and view the data. A free GAMS trial version is not sufficient to run DER-CAM!

Download - All You Need

1. Download GAMS 22.

You will need a GAMS IDE 2.0.27.7 or IDE 2.0.31.8, Build 21.4 or Build 22.0, Module GAMS Rev 139 installation (or higher). A free GAMS trial version is not sufficient to run DER-CAM, and without a valid and proper GAMS installation, the optimization will crash.  If you use an older version of GAMS, the optimization time can increase considerably.

If there is no valid GAMS installation on your WindowsXP system, you will not able to perform optimization runs, but you will still be able to open GAMS or DER-CAM files as well as the result files and view the data. Please make sure that you have a valid license for a CPLEX solver (version 9.x).

GAMS 22 should be installed before you install the UFII GamsManager. Please make sure that there is a valid, full CPLEX enabled GAMS version on your WinXP operating system before installing the UFII GamsManager, otherwise it cannot be configured properly.


2. Download UFII GamsManager version 3.2.5.

Please note that you have to register the UFII GamsManager after the setup. The registration and usage is free. You will see a registration tool when you use the program for the first time. Please submit the 'MachineKey' to michael.stadler@wvnet.at or MStadler@lbl.gov. After the receipt and approval of the e-mail, we will send you the license key via e-mail and you will be able to enter the received license key.

If you have an existing, older UFII GamsManager on your system, please remove it before installing the newer version. This tool was tested on an English WindowsXP operating system. If you encounter a problem, a switch to English regional settings may eliminate the problem. If you discover any problems please report them to MStadler@lbl.gov.

Note that if you install CPLEX GAMS 22 after installing the UFII GamsManager, you will need to remove the UFII GamsManager and reinstall it (for version 3.1.3), OR, click on 'Additional' and 'Reconfigure' in the UFII GamsManager (for version 3.2.5 and higher). This way the UFII GamsManager will be able to find all needed GAMS files and be configured properly.


3.Download DER-CAM input file for a generic office building in San Francisco

(for UFII GamsManager version 3.2.5 and higher).

(for UFII GamsManager version 3.1.3). This file works only with UFII GamsManager version 3.1.3. Other UFII GamsManager versions cannot read the file and will crash.

DER-CAM is copyright protected by the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Any modifications to or commercial use of DER-CAM without executing a copyright agreement with Berkeley Lab is prohibited and will be prosecuted. Furthermore, the freely available DER-CAM models are protected against unlawful modifications. If you open a DER-CAM model with the GAMS environment and perform modifications, the model will become useless and must be downloaded again. However, a fully modifiable version is available compliant with Berkeley Lab's copyright. Users interested in obtaining a fully licensed or co-developers version should contact C_Marnay@lbl.gov. To obtain more information regarding the copyright, please feel free to send an email to C_Marnay@lbl.gov.

Click here if you encounter problems - Troubleshooting

Download - Optional

DER-CAM brochure.

Download readme file for GamsManager.

Download DER-CAM result file for a generic office building in San Francisco - DER installation case (txt file).

Download DER-CAM result file for a generic office building in San Francisco - DER installation case (xls file).

Request

We are constantly improving the DER-CAM model as well as the UFI GamsManager interface. To ease this process we need your help. If you discover any problem with DER-CAM or the interface please send an email with the description of the problem/error to michael.stadler@wvnet.at or Mstadler@lbl.gov. Your help will improve the quality of the model as well as the user comfort of your DER-CAM model. Many thanks for your contribution in advance.

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Questions or comments, please email MStadler@lbl.gov.