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How to run a simulation?

This article explains how to run a simulation in the Tibo EMS, from starting your first scenario to understanding how simulation credits are used.

Written by Jeroen Pleunis

💡 Tip: Before running a simulation, make sure you’ve already created and configured a Digital Twin of your energy system. The simulation uses your Digital Twin as its input model.

What is a simulation in Tibo EMS?

In addition to controlling your on-site energy system in real time, the Tibo EMS can also simulate energy system scenarios based on your Digital Twin.

With simulations, you can:

  • Test different system configurations (e.g. adding a battery or more PV)

  • Compare with-EMS vs. without-EMS performance

  • Assess the impact of different energy contracts or tariffs

  • Generate reports to analyse financial and technical outcomes

Once a simulation finishes, a simulation report is generated that you can open to review results in detail (see the separate article on simulation reports for more info).

Prerequisites

Before you start:

  1. A Digital Twin has been created for the environment you want to simulate.

  2. Relevant datastreams and energy contracts are configured.

  3. You have sufficient simulation credits available for the duration you want to simulate.

Starting a simulation

  1. Go to a scenario in an environment you want to simulate.

  2. Click Add Simulation.

  3. A simulation dialog opens where you can configure all simulation settings.

The next sections explain each setting in more detail.

Simulation settings

Simulation name

  • Give your simulation a clear, descriptive name.

  • Good names usually include:

    • Time period

    • Whether EMS is enabled

    • Contract type or key scenario detail

Simulation type

This defines how the energy system is controlled during the simulation.

  • Tibo-EMS (Alice)

    • Default option.

    • The Tibo-EMS optimizes the system operation (e.g. battery behaviour, EV charging) based on your configuration and objectives.

    • Use this to see how the EMS improves performance.
      ​

  • No-EMS (Baseline)

    • The system is simulated without optimization by the EMS.

    • Use this to create a baseline for comparison (e.g. “what happens if we do nothing?”).

Energy contract

Select which energy contract applies during the simulation.

By default, we have a standard dynamic and fixed energy contract.


The selected contract influences:

  • The costs calculated in the simulation

  • The decisions the EMS makes (for Tibo-EMS simulations)

Speed (accuracy vs. duration)

Here you set the balance between speed and accuracy of the simulation.

You can choose from:

  1. Generate a first feasibility report

    • Fastest option

    • Reduced accuracy

  2. Explore a scenario in more detail

    • Balanced trade-off between speed and accuracy

    • Suitable for most design and comparison studies.

  3. Generate a final maximum accuracy analysis

    • Highest accuracy, but slower

    • Use this for:

      • Final assessments

      • Detailed customer proposals

Duration

Defines how long the simulation will run.

Common options include:

  • One week

  • One month

  • One year


Start date

The start date determines when the simulation period begins.

If you select a period outside the range of your historical data, results are influenced by our AI-models and may vary.

The credit system

The Tibo EMS simulation system uses a monthly credit allocation.
Each partner receives a certain number of simulation credits per month, depending on their license.

The cost in credits depends on the simulation duration:

Simulation duration

Credit cost

1 week

1 credit

1 month

4 credits

1 year

48 credits

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