Version overview of nPro Software

Version 3.0
October 2024

Version 3.0 introduces extensive features for GIS-based heating network planning and many other new functionalities.

Main new features

• Integration of a geographic map for the design, simulation, and visualization of district heating networks.
• Data import of georeferenced data: GeoJson, Shapefile, geoPackage files
• Integration of a pipe database: Steel, plastic; single and twin pipes
• Integration of new export formats: Building list, pipe list, etc.
• Many small improvements in the energy hub module (see below)
• Revised and expanded economic calculations

Important information regarding the update

• Once the new nPro version is online, you can access it at https://app.npro.energy, and the corresponding academic version at https://acad.npro.energy.
• You can still access the old version with your existing projects at https://v2.npro.energy (old academic version at https://acadv2.npro.energy).

Additional new features

• Permanent display of project storage status
• Instead of 6 custom colors, you can now define 12 colors to represent tool diagrams.
• 6 new building types have been added: Production, warehouse, library, church, mixed-use, other. For the "mixed-use" type, multiple usage areas can be defined.
• You can now differentiate between "water" (standard heat networks) or "brine" (water mixed with ethylene glycol at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%) as the heat transfer fluid for heat networks.
• Output of the internal rate of return in the economic evaluation
• If custom weather data is uploaded, a custom location for the result output can be defined.
• More robust calculation of user-defined heat pump models. Revised data for the heat pump library.
• Revised building parameters for entering heat demand:
  • Expanded calculation options: Enter annual heat demand, enter heating load, or enter both annual heat demand and heating load.
  • The domestic hot water demand can be entered as a percentage of the total heat demand.
  • Domestic hot water demand can be entered in "liters/day" or "Wh/m²/day".
  • Direct conversion of heat demand from various fuels (heating oil, natural gas, etc.) using an integrated unit converter.
• Reduced calculation time for districts with many buildings (factor 5 to 10 faster).
• Added economic indicators in the Excel export.
• In addition to energy price, capacity price, and base price, one-time connection fees for all buildings connected to the heat network can now be considered in the economic calculation.
• Separate assignment of investment costs, maintenance costs, and lifespan for heat pumps and chillers, which are used in combination with geothermal energy, heat sources, or PVT collectors.
• Explicit output of heat pump capacity directly in the design results.
• Export all heat network time series in hourly resolution as an Excel file: supply and return temperatures, undisturbed ground temperature, heat network losses/gains.
• Export building and route data as GeoJson files.
• Visualization of net present value (NPV) trends over time in a direct comparison between scenarios.
• Ability to display NPV curves over specific time intervals, e.g., "2025" to "2045" instead of "Year 1" to "Year 20".
• New result graphic: Specific emissions per kWh plotted against levelized costs of heat.

Bug Fixes

• Hourly tariff profiles for direct feed-in can now be uploaded for photovoltaics, wind power, and hydroelectricity.
• Fixed incorrect display of the temperature level of cooling demand in 4-pipe systems.
• Removed redundant indication of district cooling costs in the Excel export.

Version 3.0
October 2024

Version 3.0 includes features for GIS-based district heat network planning and many new calculation functions. All updates are described in detail under Information about Version 3.0. The key new features are as follows:

• Map function for GIS-based district heat network planning
• Data import of georeferenced data: GeoJson, Shapefile, geoPackage
• Integration of a pipe database
• Integration of new export formats: building list, pipe list, etc.
• Many small improvements in the energy hub module
• Revised and extended profitability calculation

Important information about the release

• Once the new nPro version goes online, you can access it at https://app.npro.energy and the corresponding academic version at https://acad.npro.energy.
• You can still access the old version with your old projects at https://v2.npro.energy (old academic version: https://acadv2.npro.energy).

Version 2.2
February 2024

Version 2.2 brings further improvements and new features:

• Individual feed-in tariffs: For combined heat and power plants, photovoltaics, wind power and hydropower, individual feed-in tariffs can be defined (e.g. for CHP subsidies). In addition, it can be decided whether the generated electricity can be used in the system itself and a remuneration for self-consumed electricity can be defined.
• Simplified revenue input: Revenues for demand coverage can be adjusted directly with one click on the economic analysis page. In addition, the levelized costs of heat are calculated.
• New KPIs on result page: Levelized costs of heat, heat costs per floor area, monthly heat costs per floor area, CO₂ emissions per heat demand, CO₂ emissions per floor area, primary energy per heat demand, primary energy per floor area, payback period, System COP
• Modeling of a 4-pipe system consisting of two separate networks: district heating and cooling network
• Minor improvements in the user interface

Version 2.1
January 2024

Version 2.1 brings numerous improvements and new features:

• Excel export of the result page integrated and extended
• Geothermal design module integrated: nPro now also allows the detailed design of ground source fields.
• Upload of building data using a pre-filled Excel list
• Integration of real COP data (from heat pump manufacturers)
• Definition of heat pump models extended (possibility to specify the heat source)
• Acceleration of tool usage by avoiding unnecessary calculation iterations
• Revenues for hydrogen for energy center and district projects added
• Integration of the design function for long-term or short-term storage
• Introduction of a user-defined maximum calculation time for complex calculations
• Error corrections:
  • The output of the throttled thermal output was calculated incorrectly for PVT collectors if a heat pump was provided for PVT. The results of the overall simulation were not affected by this.
  • The solar thermal area was incorrectly always given as 0 m² in the result overview.
  • Minor spelling and programming errors

Version 2.0
Fall 2023

The version 2.0 contains over 50 new calculation functions. All new features are described in detail in Information about Version 2.0. The most important new features:

• New software structure with three project types: District, single building and energy hub
• Scenario comparison: Compare an unlimited number of project scenarios
• New technology structure with numerous new interconnection options
• New technologies: PVT collectors and ice storage
• You can calculate various district heating network types: Conventional district heating, low-ex heat network with decentralized hot water heating, 5th generation district heating and cooling networks, as well as decentralized air- or ground-source heat pumps as a alternative solution
• Many new visualizations for result analysis and utilization

Version 1.1
October 2022

• Output of self-sufficiency rate and self-consumption ratio
• Introduction of a multi-criteria optimization (Pareto solutions: cost vs. emissions).
• Integration of Pareto diagram
• Output of annual coefficient of performance for air-source heat pumps and SEER for cooling supply
• Language of email communication can be changed by users
• Various error corrections and usability improvements

Version 1.0
July 2022

• First fully functional software version of nPro goes online.

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