Data Initialisation
EMarketOffer requires three types of externally sourced input data:
- Transmission System (Grid) data
- Reserves data
- Market data
Grid and Reserves Data
EMarketOffer can create a set of grid data (circuit details, line re-ratings and constraints) at run time from one of four sources:
- Historical transmission system data files provided by Energy Link
- Transmission system files sourced through the online EM6 or COMIT data services
- In-house Transmission System databases
- The files available each business day from the Energy Link web site (for grids from 16-Jul-09 onward)
Of the sources above, only the daily updated grid files from 16-Jul-09 will be supported in future (though other types of existing grid data can still be used). These files also include reserves data.
On startup EMarketOffer checks the Energy Link web site for the new grid and reserves data and automatically download files if you are not up to date. You can also use check the Use Grid File Inputs box in the Source Data Administration Window is checked. External database connections are used as a secondary data source where the grid data files are absent or invalidly formatted.
WARNING! EMarketOffer will ignore any database links defined through the Data Connection Window for grid data if the data can be obtained from file and the Use Grid File Inputs box in the Source Data Administration Window is unchecked.
Configuration of the connection between EMarketOffer and your online databases of Transmission System data will be unique to your site. You should not attempt to create Connections without first consulting technical support both in your company and at Energy Link.
The typical EMarketOffer installation is configured to use file or database exclusively. However, if you want to switch between file and database sources for grid data then you will need to obtain the latest grid data files and save them in the appropriate folders. You will also need to define the correct links to your online database sources.
To force the system to use the online database where grid data files exist in the appropriate folder:
- Shut down EMarketOffer
- Rename the grid data sub-folders to easy-to-remember names
- Re-start EMarketOffer
To force the system to use the grid data files again:
- Shut down EMarketOffer
- Return the renamed grid data sub-folders back to their original names
- Re-start EMarketOffer
Market Data
Dynamic market data can be loaded into EMarketOffer directly from online databases. Care should be taken when constructing database queries to ensure the data that best suits your needs is returned. In particular think through the following issues before finalising your queries:
- Demand and Generation figures can be obtained from SCADA, COMIT Daily Demand, and reconciled and arcflow data. Which of these best suits your needs?
- Offers files contain offers from Embedded Generators. How do you wish to deal with embedded generators?
Only Offer and Demand data can be loaded directly from file (i.e. generation and price data must be loaded from database). Offers files are published on the COMIT website two weeks after the day the Offers were made. If your database does not contain Offers data you can update the Offers folder with the latest files from COMIT on a regular basis.
If your database does not store Demand data you will need to create Demand files manually using a third party program such as Excel. All files should be formatted in accordance with the templates provided in Data File Formats.
NOTE: The installation package may contain EM6/COMIT data files defining the Transmission System and various types of Constraint that have been or are expected to be applied. When provided these files will be the latest available to Energy Link at the time the package was constructed and will allow you to begin using EMarketOffer right away. However, the full content of these files changes daily and you should update them regularly (particularly if you are using the program to make detailed short term forecasts of the immediate future). Unless otherwise informed, you are also advised to replace these files with current downloads before using EMarketOffer for anything other than product familiarisation and training purposes.