Table of Contents About this Getting Started Guide Welcome to HOMER Step 1: Formulate a question that HOMER can help answer Step 2: Create a new HOMER file Step 3: Build the schematic Step 4: Enter load details Step 5: Enter component details Step 6: Enter resource details Step 7: Check inputs and correct errors Step 8: Examine optimization results Step 9: Refine the system design Step 10: Add sensitivity variables Step 11: Examine sensitivity analysis results Extra credit: Adding photovoltaics Getting Started Guide Summary Contacts Welcome to HOMER What is HOMER? HOMER, the micropower optimization model, simplifies the task of evaluating designs of both off grid and grid-connected power systems for a variety of applications. When you design a power system, you must make many decisions about the configuration of the system: What components does it make sense to include in the system design? How many and what size of each component should you use? The large number of technology options and the variation in technology costs and availability of energy resources make these decisions difficult. HOMER's optimization and sensitivity analysis algorithms make it easier to evaluate the many possible system configurations.