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Energy System Description Language (ESDL)

The Energy System Description Language (ESDL) is a modelling language created for modelling the components in an energy system and their relations towards each other. Furthermore ESDL is capable of expressing the dynamic behavior of components in the energy system. For instance the power consumption of a neighborhood. ESDL describes components by their basic functionalities (Energy Capabilities) which are modelled in 5 abstract categories: Production, Consumption, Storage, Transport and Conversion. ESDL enables energy modellers to model a complex energy system in a generic way. The language is machine readable so makers of energy transition calculation tools and GIS applications can support ESDL in order to enforce the interoperability of their products.

Why ESDL

The energy system is in a transition towards a sustainable, less CO2 emitting system. Achieving this requires large adaptions of the structure and behavior of the energy system. Furthermore a comprehensive insight in the system is necessary. However the energy system is complex. It exists out of a vast number of assets/components which are connected to each other via various types of infrastructures. Besides that to fully understand the dynamics of an energy system, comprehending the dynamic behavior of the assets/components required. ESDL aims to model this complex structure and behavior of the energy system into one generic language. Resulting in a harmonized way of modeling energy data, this enables reusability and interoperability.

Example application areas

ESDL can be used for:

• Energy transition calculation tools: A common language for energy transition calculation tools. To describe inputs and outputs of those tools.
• Energy Information System: A basis for a central energy information system where the energy system of a certain region is registered.
• ESDL can be used as a language for (local) governments to model and share their (local) energy system information.
• Monitoring evolution of an energy system: Furthermore, multiple ESDL snapshots of a certain area over time provide insight in the evolution of an energy system.

Getting started

• Detailed documentation of ESDL can be found here: https://energytransition.gitbook.io/esdl/

• The ESDL model reference documentation can be found here: https://energytransition.github.io/ This website describes the classes, attributes and references in detail and is easy navigatable.

• Information on tooling for ESDL can be found here: https://energytransition.gitbook.io/esdl/esdl-based-tools Those pages describe (graphical)editors for ESDL, Java integration and Python integration examples

Contribute to ESDL

Contributions to ESDL can be done by pull requests.

If you want to contact the ESDL team, please follow this link