Systems and methods for assessing economic feasibility of an energy plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11276125-B2
Application number	US-201916655745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	Oct 18, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating graphical elements in a user interface are shown according to various embodiments. Various plant designs may be simulated under scenario conditions to predict energy usage and cost. A user may indicate to perform an economic feasibility analysis for one or more simulated plant designs. Financial performance data may be generated for the one or more plant designs according to one or more analysis parameters. Financial performance data may be a Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, or Payback period. A graphical element may be generated in a user interface to present the generated financial performance data. Financial performance data may be compared to threshold values to determine if the plant design is acceptable. Financial performance data can be compared for different plant designs to choose the optimal plant design.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate a first graphical element in a user interface, the first graphical element comprising a plurality of simulation results for a plurality of potential plant designs comprising a plurality of different sets of plant equipment and a plurality of different connections between the plant equipment;
receive a plurality of user inputs selecting a subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
receive a user input from the user interface, the user input comprising an indication to evaluate data associated with the economic feasibility for the selected subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
generate, responsive to the received user input, financial performance data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs, the financial performance data based at least in part on simulation data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs; and
generate a second graphical element in the user interface, the second graphical element comprising a visual representation of a comparison of the generated financial performance data between the potential plant designs of the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the financial performance data includes a Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Payback period, or cash flow.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical element presents the financial performance data in a chart, bar graph, or line graph.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the simulation data comprises a principle cost or operating cost of the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user input is a first user input, and the one or more processors are further caused to:
generate a third graphical element, the third graphical element configured to accept a second user input, the second user input comprising a value for an analysis parameter for generating the financial performance data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the analysis parameter is an evaluation period, baseline cost, required rate of return, discount rate, or escalation rate.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical element further comprises comparison data, wherein the comparison data indicates if the financial performance data is greater than or less than a threshold value.

8. A method, comprising:
generating, by a computing device, a first graphical element in a user interface, the first graphical element comprising a plurality of simulation result for a plurality of potential plant designs comprising a plurality of different sets of plant equipment and a plurality of different connections between the plant equipment;
receiving a plurality of user inputs selecting a subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
receiving a user input by the computing device, the user input comprising an indication to evaluate data associated with the economic feasibility for the selected subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
generating, responsive to the received user input, financial performance data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs, the financial performance data based at least in part on simulation data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs; and
generating, by the computing device, a second graphical element in the user interface, the second graphical element comprising a visual representation of a comparison of the generated financial performance data between the potential plant designs of the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the financial performance data includes a Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Payback period, or cash flow.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second graphical element presents the financial performance data in a chart, bar graph, or line graph.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the simulation data comprises a principle cost or operating cost of the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user input is a first user input, the method further comprising:
generating a third graphical element, the third graphical element configured to accept a second user input, the second user input comprising a value for an analysis parameter for generating the financial performance data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the analysis parameter is an evaluation period, baseline cost, required rate of return, discount rate, or escalation rate.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second graphical element further comprises comparison data, wherein the comparison data indicates if the financial performance data is greater than or less than a threshold value.

15. A system comprising:
one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate a first graphical element in a user interface, the first graphical element comprising a plurality of simulation results for a plurality of potential plant designs comprising a plurality of different sets of plant equipment and a plurality of different connections between the plant equipment;
receive a plurality of user inputs selecting a subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
receive a first user input from the user interface, the first user input comprising an indication to evaluate data associated with the economic feasibility for the selected subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
generate a third graphical element in the user interface, the third graphical element comprising a visual representation of a comparison of first financial performance data between the potential plant designs of the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs, the first financial performance data based at least in part on simulation data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs;
receive a second user input from the user interface, the second user input comprising a value for an analysis parameter, the analysis parameter being used to generate the first financial performance data;
generate, responsive to the received second user input, second financial performance data associated with the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs, the second financial performance data based at least in part on the value for the analysis parameter; and
generate a fourth graphical element in the user interface, the fourth graphical element comprising the generated second financial performance data for the subset of the plurality of potential plant designs.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second financial performance data includes a Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Payback period, or cash flow.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the analysis parameter is an evaluation period, baseline cost, required rate of return, discount rate, or escalation rate.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the analysis parameter is a first analysis parameter and the value of the analysis parameter is a first value, wherein the generated second financial performance data is based at least in part on the first value of the first analysis parameter and a second value of a second analysis parameter, the second v

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Pancholi Payal
• Gupta Abhishek
• Kummer James P

Classifications

• G06Q40/125 Primary

  Finance or payroll · CPC title

• G06Q10/06315 Primary

  Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis · CPC title

• G06F30/13

  Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads · CPC title

• G06Q10/0637

  Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals · CPC title