Progetto SIMEA - Automatica - Università degli Studi di Padova

SIMEA Stato dell’arte energetica degli edifici
1.3.8. PV-DesignPro
96
Doc.No 20100610.SIMEA.MR.03
Versione 1
Simulates photovoltaic system operation on an hourly basis
for one year, based on a user selected climate and system design.
PV-DesignPro is recommended for designs that include battery
storage that can be both standalone systems with generator
backup, or utility interconnected systems. Systems with no battery
storage can be modelled using special instructions. The purpose of
the program is to aid in photovoltaic system design by providing
accurate and in-depth information on likely system power output
and load consumption, necessary backup power during the
operation of the system, and the financial impacts of installing the
proposed system. It is directed at individuals who consider themselves as professional PV system designers,
but has been designed in such a way as to make it possible for a novice designer to evaluate a system design.
The program CD-ROM includes a climate database of 239 locations in the continental U.S, Alaska, Hawaii,
Puerto Rico, and Guam and a Worldwide Hourly Climate Generator Program that generates hourly climates
for 2,132 global locations from monthly data. Also, SolarPro 2.0 solar water heating program is included.
Users can select climates simply by browsing the various files in the climate window. Users can also create
their own climate files based on data they have available for other sites. Six types of panel surface tracking
are incorporated into the program: fixed slope and axis, tracking on a horizontal east-west axis, tracking on a
horizontal north-south axis, tracking on a vertical axis with a fixed slope, tracking on a north-south axis
parallel to the Earth's axis, and continuous tracking on two axes. Panel shading information can also be
entered. See website for details.
1.3.8.1. Validation/Testing
NIST (see web site)
1.3.8.2. Expertise Required
Knowledge of electrical design, PV basics.
1.3.8.3. Users
Over 3000 worldwide, including college Alternative Energy Program. Released June 1998.
1.3.8.4. Audience
PV system design professionals, architects, engineers, energy offices, universities, students.
1.3.8.5. Input
Windows 2000-based interface. Electrical system load by hour for weekdays, weekends, and holidays.
Panel type from database, number of parallel connections and series strings of similar panels; battery backup
charging parameters; AC inverter requirements, climate file.
1.3.8.6. Output
Solar Fraction charts by month, battery states of charge by month (maximum, average, minimum),
annual performance table (energy produced, necessary backup, and states-of-charge), prospective cash-flows
of purchased and sold energy, system costs, costs of backup energy, prices of sold energy, maintenance and