Generator - Inputs

Generators represent power generation units that inject electrical energy into the network. Below are all input attributes that you can set for generator components.

Basic

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
type	string	n/a	n/a	No	static	Placeholder for generator type. Not yet implemented.
carrier	string	n/a	n/a	Yes	static	Prime mover Carrier (e.g. coal, gas, wind, solar); required for global constraints on primary energy in optimization
active	boolean	n/a	True	No	static	Whether this generator is active and should be included in network calculations. Set to False to temporarily disable the generator without deleting it.
weight	float	n/a	1	No	static	Weighting factor used when aggregating or clustering multiple generators into representative units. Higher weights indicate generators that should be prioritized in clustering algorithms.

Capacity

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
p_nom	float	MW	0	Yes	static	The maximum rated capacity of the generator in MW. This sets the upper limit for power output in all calculations.
p_nom_mod	float	MW	0	No	static	The unit size for capacity expansion. When extending the nominal power (p_nom), it can only be increased in multiples of this module size.
p_nom_extendable	boolean	n/a	False	No	static	Switch to allow the nominal power (p_nom) to be extended in optimization.
p_nom_min	float	MW	0	No	static	If the nominal power (p_nom) is extendable in optimization, set its minimum value.
p_nom_max	float	MW	inf	No	static	If the nominal power (p_nom) is extendable in optimization, set its maximum value (e.g. limited by technical potential).
build_year	int	year	0	No	static	The year when the generator can be built or commissioned. Essential for multi-year capacity expansion planning models, which determine optimal investment timing and generator retirement schedules.
lifetime	float	years	inf	No	static	The operational lifetime of the generator in years. Essential for multi-year capacity expansion planning models, which use this to determine when generators retire (build year + lifetime). Set to "inf" for generators that never retire.

Power Limits

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
p_min_pu	float	per unit	0	No	static or timeseries	The minimum output for each snapshot per unit of the nominal power (p_nom) for the optimization (e.g. for variable renewable generators this can change due to weather conditions and compulsory feed-in; for conventional generators it represents a minimal dispatch). Note that if committable is False and p_min_pu > 0, this represents a must-run condition.
p_max_pu	float	per unit	1	No	static or timeseries	The maximum output for each snapshot per unit of the nominal power (p_nom) for the optimization (e.g. for variable renewable generators this can change due to weather conditions; for conventional generators it represents a maximum dispatch).
p_set	float	MW	0	No	static or timeseries	Fixed active power output that the generator must produce. Used when the generator output is predetermined rather than optimized.
q_set	float	MVar	0	No	static or timeseries	Fixed reactive power output that the generator must produce. Used when the reactive power output is predetermined rather than optimized.
sign	float	n/a	1	No	static	Power flow direction convention: 1 for generation (positive power flows into the network), -1 for consumption (positive power flows out of the network).

Energy

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
e_sum_min	float	MWh	-inf	No	static	The minimum total energy that must be produced over the entire time period being optimized (the optimization horizon).
e_sum_max	float	MWh	inf	No	static	The maximum total energy that can be produced over the entire time period being optimized (the optimization horizon).
efficiency	float	per unit	1	No	static or timeseries	Ratio between primary energy and electrical energy, e.g. takes value 0.4 MWh_elec/MWh_thermal for gas. This is required for global constraints on primary energy in optimization.

Unit Commitment

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
committable	boolean	n/a	False	No	static	Enable unit commitment, allowing the generator to be turned on or off with associated start-up and shutdown costs. Only available when the nominal power (p_nom) is not extendable.
start_up_cost	float	currency	0	No	static	Cost to start up the generator. Only read if committable is True.
shut_down_cost	float	currency	0	No	static	Cost to shut down the generator. Only read if committable is True.
stand_by_cost	float	currency/h	0	No	static or timeseries	Stand-by cost for operating the generator at null power output.
min_up_time	int	snapshots	0	No	static	Minimum number of snapshots for status to be 1. Only read if committable is True.
min_down_time	int	snapshots	0	No	static	Minimum number of snapshots for status to be 0. Only read if committable is True.
up_time_before	int	snapshots	1	No	static	Number of snapshots that the generator was online before network.snapshots start. Only read if committable is True and min_up_time is non-zero.
down_time_before	int	snapshots	0	No	static	Number of snapshots that the generator was offline before network.snapshots start. Only read if committable is True and min_down_time is non-zero.

Ramping

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
ramp_limit_up	float	per unit	1	No	static or timeseries	Maximum active power increase from one snapshot to the next, per unit of the nominal power (p_nom). Ignored if 1.
ramp_limit_down	float	per unit	1	No	static or timeseries	Maximum active power decrease from one snapshot to the next, per unit of the nominal power (p_nom). Ignored if 1.
ramp_limit_start_up	float	per unit	1	No	static	Maximum active power increase at start up, per unit of the nominal power (p_nom). Only read if committable is True.
ramp_limit_shut_down	float	per unit	1	No	static	Maximum active power decrease at shut down, per unit of the nominal power (p_nom). Only read if committable is True.

Costs

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
marginal_cost	float	currency/MWh	0	Yes	static or timeseries	The variable cost of producing one additional MWh of electricity. Used by the optimizer to determine the economic dispatch order of generators (lower cost generators are dispatched first).
marginal_cost_quadratic	float	currency/MWh²	0	No	static or timeseries	Quadratic term for non-linear cost curves. When set, the total cost includes a quadratic component that increases with the square of output, modeling increasing marginal costs at higher generation levels.
capital_cost	float	currency/MW	0	No	static	The cost per MW of adding new capacity. Includes investment costs (spread over the planning period) and fixed operations & maintenance costs. Only relevant when p_nom_extendable is True.

Electrical

Attribute	Data Type	Unit	Default	Required	Storage Type	Description
control	string	n/a	PQ	No	static	Power flow control mode: "PQ" (fixed active and reactive power), "PV" (fixed active power and voltage magnitude), or "Slack" (balances system power, typically one per network).