CHANGELOG.md

(changelog)=

ORBIT Changelog

Unreleased

• The existing documentation has been converted from a Sphinx-based setup to a Jupyter Book v1 build to create more easily modifiable documentation components and integrate better code examples directly into the documentation site.
• The save_config function is now compatible with the ProjectManager.config object, allowing for direct saving without user modification.
• Fixes a bug in CustomArraySystemDesign.create_project_csv() where the output file location does not adjust to the user's folder input.

1.2.6

• Implements create_layout_df for the CustomArraySystemDesign model to ensure compatibility with workflows relying on the layout generation tools.

1.2.5

• Allow for a Pandas DataFrame to be passed directly to the CustomArraySystemDesign.layout_data configuration input.
• Move the matplotlib import from the import section of /ORBIT/phases/design/array_system_design.py to the CustomArraySystemDesign.plot_array_system for missing module error handling.
• Adds a general layout DataFrame creation method as ArraySystemDesign.create_layout_df() that is called by the save_layout method to maintain backwards compatibility, but opens up the ability gather the layout without saving it to a file.
• Updated default soft_capex factors. PR #201
  • construction_insurance_factor updated from 0.115 to 0.0207 based on industry benchmarking, resulting in higher construction insurance costs.
  • interest_during_construction updated from 4.4% to 6.5% based on financial assumptions from the 2025 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), increasing construction financing costs.
  • decommissioning_factor updated from 0.175 to 0.2 based on industry benchmarking, leading to higher decommissioning costs than in previous versions.
• Updated default project_capex values. PR #201
  • site_auction_price increased from 100M to 105M USD to account for rent fees before operation.
  • site_assessment_cost, construction_plan_cost, and installation_plan_cost increased from 50M, 1M, and 0.25M USD to 200M, 25M, and 25M USD, respectively.
  • Total project_capex excluding site_auction_price now sums to 250M USD, aligning with DevEx recommendations based on industry benchmarking.
  • These updates lead to higher default total project costs than in previous versions.
• Included onshore substation costs in BOS CapEx and project breakdown. PR #201
  • The ElectricalDesign module previously calculated onshore substation costs but did not include them in capex_breakdown or bos_capex.
  • These costs are now incorporated when ElectricalDesign is used, resulting in higher bos_capex, soft_capex, and total_capex than in prior versions.
• Cable configuration file updates. PR #201
  • Added a new dynamic cable configuration file for floating cases: library/cables/XLPE_1200mm_220kV_dynamic.yaml.
  • Updated cost values for library/cables/XLPE_630mm_66kV.yaml and library/cables/XLPE_630mm_66kV_dynamic.yaml based on industry benchmarking.
  • All cable cost updates are expressed in 2024 USD for consistency with other library configuration files.

1.2.4

• Support Python 3.14

1.2.3

• Adjusted the recent np.trapz fix to be compatible with numpy < 2.0

1.2.2

• Replaced the deprecated numpy.trapz with numpy.trapezoid.
• Deprecates Python 3.9 support in preparation for EOL and seamless benedict compatibility.

1.2.1

• Removed wisdem_api.py because NLRWindSystems now uses orbit as a pip installed package.
• Added Python 3.12 and 3.13 to the workflow files.
• Moved matplotlib as an optional dependency

1.2

• New cable library/cables/XLPE_1200mm_220kV.yaml Is a 220kV cable that can carry ~400MW of HVAC power.
• Fixed frozen python-benedict version
  • ParametricManager can still use '.' as a keypath separator (no change to user inputs) and is compatible with latest python-benedict
• Updated various default costs to 2024 USD. PR #187
  • Cost rates for different models were determined by benchmarking the costs through industry outreach, along with adjustments based on commodity prices, inflation, and labor indices.
  • ORBIT assumes a procurement year of 2024 in the files:
    • defaults/common_costs.yaml represents all the design related costs.
    • ORBIT/manager.py includes project related costs
    • library/cables/* shows all the cables with updated cost_per_km
    • library/vessels/* shows all the vessels with updated day_rate
  • Added defaults/costs_by_procurement_year.csv which provides the default costs for other procurement year, but in 2024 USD.
• Bug Fix: Characteristic Impedance calculation correction. Issue #186
  • There were some documentation typos and a units error in the calculation, where mH (10^-3) was divided by nF (10^-9)
  • Updated several tests with new values that correlate to the latest cable power capacity
• Updated NLRWindSystems API (wisdem_api.py)
  • Match some variable names and inputs that have diverged over time.
  • Caught turbine_capex double count in NLRWindSystems when using total_capex from ORBIT.
  • Updated some tests.
• Enhanced ProjectManager: PR #177
  • Improvements made to soft_capex calculations because previous versions used default $/kW values from the 2018 Cost of Wind Energy Review unless provided by the user. Those default values are out of date and do not scale with the size of the project which is not entirely accurate.
  • soft_capex is now calculated as sum of construction_insurance_capex, decommissioning_capex, commissioning_capex, procurement_contingency_capex, installation_contingency_capex, construction_financing_capex. NOTE: user can still specify the same $/kW values if they choose.
  • New factors were implemented to calculated updated project_parameters if the user does not specify any inputs.

1.1

New features

• Enhanced MooringSystemDesign:
  • Can specify catenary or semitaut mooring systems. (use mooring_type)
  • Can specify drag embedment or suction pile anchors. (use anchor_type)
  • Description: This class received some new options that the user can specify to customize the mooring system. By default, this design uses catenary mooring lines and suction pile anchors. The new semitaut mooring lines use interpolation to calculate the geometry and cost based on (Cooperman et al. 2022, https://www.nlr.gov/docs/fy22osti/82341.pdf).
  • See 5. Example Floating Project for more details.
• New ElectricalDesign:

  • Now has HVDC or HVAC transmission capabilities.

  • New tests created test_electrical_export.py

  • Description: This class combines the elements of ExportSystemDesign and the OffshoreSubstationDesign modules. Its purpose is to represent the entire export system more accurately by linking the type of cable (AC versus DC) and substation’s components (i.e. transformers versus converters). Most export and substation component costs were updated to include a per-unit cost rather than a per-MW cost rate and they can be added to the project config file too. Otherwise, those per-unit costs use default and were determined with the help of industry experts.

    • This module’s components’ cost scales with number of cables and substations rather than plant capacity.
    • The offshore substation cost is calculated based on the cable type and number of cables, rather than scaling function based on plant capacity.
    • The mass of an HVDC and HVAC substation are assumed to be the same. Therefore, the substructure mass and cost functions did not change.
    • An experimental onshore cost function was also added to account for the duplicated interconnection components. Costs will vary depending on the cable type.

  • See new example Example - Using HVDC or HVAC for more details.

• Enhanced FloatingOffshoreSubStation:
  • Fixed the output substructure type from Monopile to Floating. (use oss_substructure_type)
  • Removes any pile or fixed-bottom substructure geometry.
  • See Example 5. Example Floating Project for more details.
• Updated MoredSubInstallation:
  • Uses an AHTS vessel which must be added to project config file.
  • See example/example_floating_project.yaml (use ahts_vessel)
• New 22MW_generic.yaml turbine.
  • Based on the IEA - 22 MW reference wind turbine.
  • See library/turbines for more details.
• New cables:
  • Varying HVDC ratings
  • Varying HVDC and HVAC "dynamic" cables for floating projects.
  • See library/cables for all the cables and more details.

Updated default values

• defaults/process_times.yaml
  • drag_embedment_install_time` increased from 5 to 12 hours.
• phases/install/quayside_assembly_tow/common.py:
  • lift and attach tower section time changed from 12 to 4 hours per section,
  • lift and attach nacelle time changed from 7 to 12 hours.
• library/cables/XLPE_500mm_132kV.yaml:
  • cost_per_km changed from $200k to $500k.
• library/vessels/example_cable_lay_vessel.yaml:
  • min_draft changed from 4.8m to 8.5m,
  • overall_length changed from 99m to 171m,
  • max_mass changed 4000t to 13000t,
• library/vessels/example_towing_vessel.yaml:
  • max_waveheight changed from 2.5m to 3.0m,
  • max_windspeed changed 20m to 15m,
  • transit_speed changed 6km/h to 14 km/h,
  • day_rate changed $30k to $35k

Improvements

• All design classes have new tests to track total cost to flag any changes that may impact final project cost.
• Relocated all the get design costs in each design class to common_cost.yaml.
• Fully adopted pyproject.toml for managing all possible tool settings, and removed the tool-specific files from the top-level of the directory.
• Replaced flake8 and pylint with ruff to adopt a cleaner, faster, and easier to manage linting and autoformatting workflow. As a result, some of the more onerous checks have been removed to discourage the use of git commit --no-verify. This change has also added in other rules that discourage Python anti-patterns and encourage modern Python usage.
• NOTE: Users may wish to run git config blame.ignoreRevsFile .git-blame-ignore-revs to ignore the reformatting edits in their blame.

1.0.8

• Added explicit methods for adding custom design or install phases to ProjectManager.
• Added WOMBAT compatibility for custom array system files.
• Fixed bug in custom array cable system design that breaks for plants with more than two substations.

1.0.7

• Added SupplyChainManager.
• Added JacketInstallation module.
• Added option to use dynamic supply chain in MonopileInstallation module.

1.0.6

• Expanded tutorial and examples.
• Added templates for design and install modules.
• Added ports to library pathing.
• Misc. bugfixes.

1.0.5

• Added initial floating offshore substation installation module.
• Added option to specific floating cable depth in cable design modules.
• Bugfix in project.total_capex.

1.0.4

• Added ability to directly prescribe weather downtime through the availability keyword
• Added support for generating linear models using ParametricManager

1.0.2

• Added ProjectManager.capex_breakdown.

1.0.1

• Default behavior of ParametricManager has been changed. Input parameters are now zipped together and ran as a discrete set of configs. To use the past functionality (finding the product of all input parameters), use the option product=True
• Bugfix: Added port costs to floating substructure installation modules.
• Revised docs for running the Example notebooks and added link to a tutorial about working with jupyter notebooks.

1.0.0

• New feature: ParametricManager for running parametric studies.
• Added procurement cost inputs and total cost methods to installation phases. Design phases are now only used to fill in the design and do not return a cost associated with the design.
• Refactored aggregation project level outputs in ProjectManager.
• Revised Net Present Value calculation to utilize new project outputs.
• Added load_config and save_config functions.
• Moved ORBIT.library to OBRIT.core.library.
• Centralized model defaults to ORBIT.core.defaults.
• ProjectManager.project_actions renamed to ProjectManager.actions
• ProjectManager.project_logs renamed to ProjectManager.logs
• ProjectManager.run_project() renamed to ProjectManager.run()
• Moved documentation hosting to gh-pages.

0.5.1

• Process time kwargs should now be passed through ProjectManager in a dictionary named processes in the config.
• Revised prep_for_site_operations and related processes to allow for dynamically positioned vessels.
• Updated NLRWindSystems API to include floating functionality.

0.5.0

• Initial release of floating substructure functionality in ORBIT.
• New design modules: MooringSystemDesign, SparDesign and SemiSubmersibleDesign.
• New installation modules: MooringSystemInstallation and MooredSubInstallation
• Cable design and installation modules modified to calculate catenary lengths of suspended cable at depths greater than 60m.

0.4.3

• New feature: Cash flow and net present value calculation within ProjectManager.
• Revised CustomArraySystemDesign module.
• Revised assumptions in MonopileDesign module to bring results in line with industry numbers.

0.4.2

• New feature: Phase dependencies in ProjectManager.
• New feature: Windspeed constraints at multiple heights, including automatic interpolation/extrapolation of configured windspeed profiles.
• Added option to define mobilization_days and mobilization_mult in a Vessel configuration file.
• Added option for pre-installation trenching operations to ArrayCableInstallation and ExportCableInstallation.
• Revised OffshoreSubstationDesign to scale the size of the substations with the user-configured number of substations.
• Bugfix in the returned argument order of ProjectManager.run_install_phase where the cost of a prior phase would be incorrectly applied as the elapsed time.

0.4.1

• Modified installation to require version of marmot-agents that has an internal copy of simpy.
• Added/expanded detailed_outputs for all modules.
• Standardized naming of weight/mass terms to mass throughout the model.
• Cleanup in ProjectManager.

0.4.0

• Vessel mobilization added to all vessels in all installation modules. Defaults to 7 days at 50% day-rate.
• Cable lay, bury and simulataneous lay/bury methods are not flagged as suspendable to avoid unrealistic project delays.
• Cost of onshore transmission construction added to ExportCableInstallation.
• Simplified ArrayCableInstallation, ExportCableInstallation modules.
• Removed pandas from the internals of the model, though it is still useful for tabulating the project logs.
• Revised package structure. Functionally formerly in ORBIT.simulation or ORBIT.vessels has been moved to ORBIT.core.
• InstallPhase cleaned up and slimmed down.
• Environment and associated functionality has been replaced with marmot.Environment.
• Logging functionality revised. No longer uses the base python logging module.
• Vessel now inherits from marmot.Agent.
• Tasks that were in ORBIT.vessels.tasks have been moved to their respective modules and restructured with marmot.process and Agent.tasks.
• Modules inputs cleaned up. type parameters are no longer required for monopile, transition piece or turbine component definitions.
• Removed old/irrelevant tests.

0.3.5

• Added 'per kW' properties to ProjectManager CAPEX results.

0.3.4

• Added configuration to ProjectManager that allows exceptions to be caught within individual modules and allows the project as a whole to continue.
• Fixed installation process when installing from GitHub.

0.3.3

• Added configuration for multiple tower sections in TurbineInstallation.
• Added configuration for seperate lay/burial in ArrayCableInstallation and ExportCableInstallation.
• Overhauled test suite and associated library.
• Bugfix in CableCarousel.
• Expanded NLRWindSystems Fixed API.

0.3.2

• Initial release of fixed substructure NLRWindSystems API
• Material cost for monopiles and transition pieces added to MonopileDesign
• Updated ProjectManager to allow user to override default DesignPhase results
• Moved config validation to BasePhase and added call to self.validate_config for all current modules
• Config validation logic reworked so dicts of optional values are not required
• Added method to resolve project capacity in ProjectManager. A user can now input plant.num_turbines and turbine.turbine_rating and plant.capacity will be added to the config.
• Added initial set of standardized inputs to ProjectManager:
  • self.installation_capex
  • self.installation_time
  • self.project_days
  • self.bos_capex
  • self.turbine_capex
  • self.total_capex

0.3.1

• Updated README