Usage Guides

Step-by-step guides for building distribution system models with NREL-shift. Each guide covers one stage of the workflow.

New to NREL-shift? Start with the Complete Example to see the full pipeline from data fetching to system export.

Workflow Order

The guides are listed in the order you would typically follow:

1. Fetching Parcels — Load building locations from OpenStreetMap, CSV, or GeoDataFrames

2. Building a Graph — Cluster parcels and construct a distribution graph

3. Updating Branch Types — Replace generic branch types with specific equipment models

4. Mapping Phases — Assign phases to transformer secondaries

5. Mapping Voltages — Assign primary and secondary voltage levels

6. Mapping Equipment — Map loads, sources, and catalog equipment to nodes

7. Building a System — Assemble everything into a Grid Data Models system