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Microgrid Annual Output Calculator

This calculator estimates annual electricity production from a mixed-resource microgrid. It calculates output separately for dispatchable generation, solar, and wind, then adds the three contributions after applying a common availability factor. The result is useful for early energy-balance studies and for comparing resource mixes. It is not an hourly dispatch model, so it does not capture curtailment, storage losses, load mismatch, minimum generator loading, or network constraints.

Microgrid generation portfolio

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Result
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Estimated annual microgrid output
Dispatchable generation—
Solar generation—
Wind generation—

1. Enter dispatchable capacity and use
Provide generator capacity and its expected annual capacity factor.

2. Enter solar capacity and resource
Use the installed solar rating and a location-appropriate annual capacity factor.

3. Enter wind capacity and resource
Add installed wind capacity and its expected capacity factor.

4. Apply common availability
Use this adjustment for systemwide availability not already included in source capacity factors.

5. Review source contributions
Compare annual MWh by source and the combined total before moving to an hourly dispatch study.

Source output = Source capacity × 8,760 × Source capacity factor × Availability
Total annual output = Dispatchable output + Solar output + Wind output

Each capacity factor is converted from percent to decimal. Set common availability to 100% when individual capacity factors already include all relevant outages.

What the result means

The total is the sum of annual energy expected from the three modeled generation classes.

Because generation profiles are not time-matched to load, this result should not be interpreted as served load or renewable fraction without further analysis.

Given: 500 kW dispatchable at 60%, 800 kW solar at 20%, 300 kW wind at 35%, and 98% availability.

Calculation:
Dispatchable = 500 × 8,760 × 0.60 × 0.98 = 2,575.44 MWh
Solar = 800 × 8,760 × 0.20 × 0.98 = 1,373.57 MWh
Wind = 300 × 8,760 × 0.35 × 0.98 = 901.40 MWh
Total = 4,850.41 MWh

Result: Estimated annual microgrid output is 4,850.41 MWh.

Does annual output equal annual load served?

Not necessarily. Surplus generation may be curtailed or exported, while shortages may occur at other times even when annual totals match.

Where should battery discharge be entered?

Battery discharge is not a primary energy source and should not be added without accounting for charging energy and losses. Use an hourly energy-flow model for storage.

Can I leave a generation source at zero?

Yes. A source with zero capacity contributes no output and does not prevent the other sources from being calculated.

Should diesel generator capacity factor include outages?

Use a definition consistent with the availability input. If the generator capacity factor already reflects outages, do not reduce it again with the common availability factor.

Why use separate capacity factors?

Solar, wind, and dispatchable generators have different resource and operating patterns. Separate factors provide a more meaningful annual estimate than one blended assumption.