The gradual depletion of fossil energy sources and the critical need to reduce carbon footprints have become prerequisites for the active development of renewable energy. It is possible to observe the expansion of the capacities of such productions in many countries. According to IRENA, in 2022, the share of renewable sources at the global level was 40%, which is an impressive indicator. An important contribution to these statistics is made by solar systems used in private households, businesses, and even public buildings.
They have many advantages that distinguish them favorably from other alternative methods. For example, Solar systems are readily available, relatively inexpensive, and efficient. However, all these advantages can be appreciated in the case of choosing designs with a level of efficiency required to meet the electricity needs of a specific facility. In this case, the software for Solar Energy, which allows you to design a complete system, will be useful.
In This Article
How Do Solar Panel Performance Programs Work?
The process of calculating the level of efficiency of structures is rather complicated. To determine the best solutions for a home or business, it is necessary to take into account many features, financial indicators, individual requests, etc. This task is usually performed by employees of solar companies, but most customers want to have an approximate estimate even before consulting with representatives of suppliers.
In any case, you can use savings calculation software – a tool that helps you calculate the productivity of solar systems. Such software solutions were created to make the process of choosing structures more transparent and easier. For this, they have special built-in algorithms. They are based on several important criteria, some of which are mentioned below.
1. Amount of electricity consumed by the facility: Based on this factor, solar power software can calculate the probable percentage of money that can be saved while using this system. This is an important consideration when purchasing solar panels for many homes and business owners.
2. Peculiarities of the location of the systems: Performance indicators directly depend on the conditions of the location of the structures. The presence of tall trees and plants with broad leaves, the quality of lighting, and other similar features are important. Solar planning software takes into account all these aspects and allows you to determine how productive the system can be in specific conditions.
3. Site Region and Size: These are two main factors that determine the number of solar panels. To do this, you need to enter the necessary data, and the solar project management software automatically calculates the approximate result for the special conditions.
Currently, dozens of software solutions and platforms offer functionality to determine the performance and design of future structures. Some of them are presented in the format of a full-fledged application, and some are cloud solutions that require internet access to function.
Most of these software and platforms have a clear interface and wide functionality, which makes them a convenient option for both buyers and service providers. To choose the best solution from the proposed programs, you need to consider the individual requests and compare them with the features that the software provides. In this case, you can quickly find the necessary information and proceed to purchase structures.
What Are the Best Programs for Determining the Efficiency of Solar Panels?
The growth in demand for solar energy over the past decades has been a driving factor for the development of the industry. The result was the appearance of new technologies, the active implementation of new developments, and an increase in the number of studies. The number of Solar Systems has also increased.
According to Our World in Data, average solar energy consumption per person will increase to 432 kWh in 2022. This confirms the more active transition of the population to structures that generate electricity from renewable sources.
Changes have also occurred at the level of assembly and installation. Many suppliers and third-party companies have begun to develop special programs for the design of solar systems. Such technological solutions have become a reliable assistant not only for the companies for also for the customers. Now, everyone can use solar energy software and determine the required data. Here are some of the best options that you can opt for.
1. PVsyst
The first on the list is the comprehensive PVsyst solution. The program is presented in the format of a regular application for a computer. It can be used to analyze, modify, and research data that characterizes all options of photovoltaic systems. Among them are pumping devices, autonomous solar systems, and panels that are connected to the general electricity grid. In addition, the application can work out indicators for direct current power networks, which are often used to power public transport.
The functionality of the solar software allows you to process data from meteorological systems to determine the results better. Having a complete set of tools for solar system analysis and research provides several important features.
- Determining the dimensions of systems
- Full design
- Creating an aging effect
- Generating results and modeling schemes
- Creating shading
- Designing with storage systems
Among the additional options of the software solution, you can highlight the import of weather information and climate data. To take advantage of all the possibilities, it is enough to download the application from the official website.
2. Solar Labs
Another effective software solution that allows you to design and calculate the performance indicator is Solar Labs. The peculiarity of this option is the specificity of the work. The program is a cloud platform that functions on SaaS technology. It is important that the developers also add artificial intelligence algorithms to the programs, which is a significant advantage for designing. When considering this program, it is worth paying attention to several features that it offers. Given below are some mentioned.
1. Ability to Create Custom Layouts: You can create one-line diagrams, which are an important tool in the solar system design process.
2. Perform Accurate Analysis and Detailed Simulations: The program has built-in tools that allow you to analyze losses and output power at different time intervals, for example, during a year, quarter, or month. It is also possible to create a heat map.
3. Better Energy Profiling: With the help of the service, you can model accurate plans for the placement of solar systems in the residential, public, or commercial sectors.
One additional benefit of using Solar Labs solar software is the ability to model in 2D and 3D formats.
3. OpenSolar
The main feature of the OpenSolar software solution is that there is no charge for use. If the previous two options have different tariff plans, then OpenSolar is free to use. The possibilities of the Software solution are also quite wide.
With the help of OpenSolar, you can design solar systems and calculate their efficiency. It is important that the functionality contains a huge number of tools, but it is very easy and simple to use. In particular, in the programs, you can create a 3D design, stimulate various placement options, and study the main indicators of the systems.
Conclusions
Calculating the efficiency of Solar panels is one of the important tasks facing buyers, suppliers, and specialists in this field. After all, without determining the data, it is impossible to choose the structures that will ensure the production of a sufficient amount of electricity for specific objects.
You can get the necessary information by making calculations. However, a more effective solution would be software for designing and calculating the performance of solar systems. Developers offer dozens of varieties of such applications, so everyone will be able to choose a solution for their needs.
