Minimum Requirement to run SAInt and Market Optimization Run Times

General
1

This is a question we often get from our customers and users:

What are the minimum requirements to run SAInt? How long does it take to run a market optimization scenario in SAInt?

2

This is a simple yet complex question! We often get and while we can provide some examples, the honest answer is that it depends. The runtime for a market optimization or production cost model (DCUCOPF in SAInt) varies based on several factors, primarily the complexity of the model and the computational performance of the machine running the scenario. Key factors that influence the duration of the simulation include the size of the energy system, the number of data points, the scenario properties, and the machine’s hardware specifications. Each of these can affect the computational load, and in many cases, parameters can be adjusted to optimize performance without compromising model accuracy.

For the best experience, we recommend reviewing the minimum and recommended system specifications detailed in the SAInt documentation, particularly the “Key Considerations” section. You can find this information here: SAInt Technical Specifications.

To provide a clearer picture of typical run times, here are a few examples based on scenarios we’ve run on a standard Windows machine with 8 physical cores (16 threads), 2.9 GHz clock speed (up to 4.8 GHz turbo), and 64 GB RAM.

  • ENET39 network (39 nodes, 34 lines, 12 transformers, 19 generators) - 10 minutes (1-year scenario, 1-day optimization window, 1-hour resolution, 1-day look-ahead)
  • ERCOT day-ahead nodal market model (8,517 nodes, 7,572 lines, 2,309 transformers, 1,084 generators) - 5.3 minutes (1-day optimization window, 1-hour resolution)
  • Continental US Zonal model (134 zones, 310 interconnections, 9,195 generators, 75 storage assets) - 25 hours (1-year scenario, daily optimizations, 1-hour resolution, 1-day look-ahead)

For larger or parallel simulations, we use a more powerful physical server with 24 cores (48 threads), 2.5 GHz clock speed (up to 4.8 GHz turbo), and 256 GB RAM. While this server offers enhanced capabilities, for most of our models, a smaller machine with a higher clock speed (like the one mentioned above) tends to be more efficient for routine use.

I hope this helps clarify the factors affecting running times in SAInt. Please let us know or contact our support team if you have any further questions or need additional details for your particular set-up. We will be happy to help you get the most from SAInt!