ESSPI as a Tool for STEM Education in Energy Backup System Design

This research-to-practice full paper helps users prepare for blackouts and power outages by presenting a cutting-edge tool for STEM outreach. In an emergency, loads are prioritized according to the Energy Storage System Prioritization Index (ESSPI). It evaluates loads based on recovery time, power consumption, and ranking; it will soon be available as a web application. It provides a cost analysis and prioritizing index for building backup systems. By dividing loads into categories such as important, necessary, discretionary, non-essential, and disposable, the ESSPI tool is being used as an agile system design tool. Case studies show how adaptable it is to many environments, from homes to grid systems, improving energy management. Furthermore, the application educates users about renewable energy by offering cost and size assessments, specifically for Photovoltaic (PV) installations. Based on user inputs such as location, number of hours of sunlight, and length of backup, the app estimates system costs and battery size and optimizes the size of the PV system by taking shading and panel efficiency into account. To sum up, this creative tool and its intuitive online application emphasize STEM education and mark major advancements in backup system design and emergency preparedness. It helps users make cost-effective decisions by promoting knowledge of solar energy and battery technology, which is beneficial for researchers and aficionados of renewable energy sources.