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Python PLEXOS API

https://github.com/EnergyExemplarNorthAmerica/Python-PLEXOS-API

A repository of simple Python examples for use with the PLEXOS API.

This branch for PLEXOS 9 is still in progress. Please note that this repository is not a supported product of Energy Exemplar, but rather a help to the user which is a free time activity for dedicated fans of the product.

Some key differences between PLEXOS 9 API and prior versions

Python's .NET interop components only work with .NET 4. PLEXOS 9 is .NET 5.

That means you need to install an additional software component to use the PLEXOS 9 API with Python. It is available on the Energy Exemplar customer portal (you have to scroll nearly to the bottom).

The primary components to import have changed a bit.

Before

sys.path.append('C:/Program Files (x86)/Energy Exemplar/PLEXOS 8.1/')
clr.AddReference('PLEXOS7_NET.Core')

After

sys.path.append('C:/Program Files/Energy Exemplar/PLEXOS 9.0 API')
clr.AddReference('PLEXOS_NET.Core')

Note the new location to add to the PATH references the install location of the new software components mentioned above, and the missing 7 in the name of the reference. Also if you are migrating from an older PLEXOS version, (x86) is no longer in the default installation folder.

Likewise, a key import statement has changed.

Before

from PLEXOS7_NET.Core import DatabaseCore

After

from PLEXOS_NET.Core import DatabaseCore

Again a missing 7.

There is a new reference that contains some of the enumerations that used to be in EEUTILITY.

Before

clr.AddReference('EEUTILITY')

After

clr.AddReference('EEUTILITY')
clr.AddReference('EnergyExemplar.PLEXOS.Utility')

There is a corresponding modification to import the enumerations that are in this new component.

Before

from EEUTILITY.Enums import *

After

from EEUTILITY.Enums import *
from EnergyExemplar.PLEXOS.Utility.Enums import *

Some of the scripts are noted in the header as P9 Tested.

Two important points arise from this. First, this notation is not presently attached to every script. The scripts have been modified to reflect the above, but they may not all run successfully for a variety of reasons. Second, the implication that it has been tested doesn't confer any warrantee of its performance on any environment or infrastructure other than that on which it was tested. See below.

PLEXOS® for Power Systems

PLEXOS® Integrated Energy Model (PLEXOS) is tried-and-true simulation software that uses state-of-the-art mathematical optimisation combined with the latest data handling and visualisation and distributed computing methods, to provide a high-performance, robust simulation system for electric power, water and gas that is leading edge yet open and transparent. PLEXOS meets the demands of energy market participants, system planners, investors, regulators, consultants and analysts alike with a comprehensive range of features seamlessly integrating electric, water, gas and heat production, transportation and demand over simulated timeframes from minutes to 10’s of years, all delivered through a common simulation engine with easy-to-use interface and integrated data platform.

PLEXOS is the fastest and most sophisticated software available today, and also the most cost-effective.

PLEXOS Licensing

PLEXOS® licensing is not included with the license for these examples. These scripts are therefore only useful to those with current PLEXOS licensing. Furthermore, these scripts are NOT a supported part of the PLEXOS software. They are only illustrative of uses that could be made of the PLEXOS API by PLEXOS licensees.

For assistance with PLEXOS licensing, please visit

https://www.energyexemplar.com/contact-us

Development Environment

The authors are primarily using Anaconda Python version 3.6.x along with the PythonNet repository, along with PLEXOS Desktop 9.0R03.

PLEXOS 9 API requires an additional set of software components to interoperate with Python. In the Energy Exemplar download portal, this is called "API 9.000 R03". This library is PLEXOS version specific.

The authors also use Visual Studio Code with the Python and GitExtensions VSCode extensions.

Also .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher is needed. However, you would have to install this to use PLEXOS.

Anaconda --> https://www.anaconda.com/download/

Python for .NET --> https://pythonnet.github.io/

Visual Studio Code --> https://code.visualstudio.com/

Energy Exemplar and PLEXOS --> https://portal.energyexemplar.com/

Method and Enum Listing removal

Many users of this repository have asked why the .txt files that list out the enumerations and method signatures in this repository are out of sync with PLEXOS X.Y R0Z. The short answer is that the information in those files is version dependent. The best thing to do is to run the scripts that produce those files against your installation of PLEXOS so that you will get a .txt file that matches your installation. We provided these as a convenience and a quick reference, but their presence is causing some confusion amongst those reviewing this repo due to the inconsistency between those files and what is installed on the actual machine.

Using Enumerations in Python scripts

The names of the Enumerations rarely change between versions of PLEXOS. Most commonly (for example) properties are added or removed hence the related Enumerations are added or removed. Hence, using the Enumeration symbols (names) is relatively stable between versions.

The numbers associated with the enumerations is less stable. When scripting in a way that requires Enumeration information to be passed to an API method, one really should always use the symbol name instead of the value even if the PLEXOS API asks for an integer. (It sometimes does this because all Enums can be passed as integers, but they are not interchangeable in .NET arguments.) The example scripts in this repository demonstrate the strongly preferred way to do this (i.e., everywhere an enumeration is required, an enumeration symbol is provided) e.g.,

results = sol.Query(
    SimulationPhaseEnum.STSchedule, CollectionEnum.SystemGenerators, 
    '', '', PeriodEnum.FiscalYear, SeriesTypeEnum.Values, 
    make_property_list(
        SystemOutGeneratorsEnum.Generation,
        SystemOutGeneratorsEnum.TotalGenerationCost,
        SystemOutGeneratorsEnum.NetRevenue,
        SystemOutGeneratorsEnum.SRMC
        )
    )

In the above, one immediately notices that all enumerations are referenced as symbols. Those symbols are direct imports from .NET of the following type:

clr.AddReference('EEUTILITY')
from EEUTILITY.Enums import *

PLEXOS Users are (of course) welcome to script the PLEXOS API in the way they prefer. Our goal is simply to highlight that the above is a risk that is specific to PLEXOS version variation which is fairly easy to avoid by taking the approach demonstrated above.