District Energy & Thermal Network Equipment worked example

Capacity Gap at 99% expected availability for peak period: a worked example in district energy & thermal network equipment

This scenario runs the capacity gap calculation on the strong side: 99% expected availability for peak period, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when capacity gap in district energy and thermal network equipment is being asked to take on more work and you need to know if there is room.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Available capacity per asset or segment: 4 MW, MMBtu/hr, or tons (unchanged)
  • Assets or segments available: 480 assets or segments (unchanged)
  • Expected availability for peak period: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • Usable capacity after demand and reserve limits: 97 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Gross available capacity = available capacity per asset or segment × assets or segments available) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,844 MW or tons for dependable available capacity, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,920 MW or tons for gross available capacity.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 19.2 MW or tons for availability capacity loss.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 57.02 MW or tons for demand, delta-t, or reserve derating.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where expected availability for peak period sits at 90% and the headline result is 1,676 MW or tons, this scenario comes in 10% above the baseline at 1,844 MW or tons.
  • Use it during design-day planning, N+1 reliability checks, or interconnection studies to confirm a district heating or cooling system can meet peak load with margin. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Dependable available capacity: 1,844 MW or tons (headline result)
  • Gross available capacity: 1,920 MW or tons
  • Availability capacity loss: 19.2 MW or tons
  • Demand, delta-T, or reserve derating: 57.02 MW or tons

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Capacity Gap calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.