PVsyst

PVsyst is a software package for the design, simulation, and analysis of photovoltaic PV systems. It supports grid-connected, off-grid, and batteryless configurations and is widely used by engineers, researchers, and installers to estimate energy production, assess performance, and aid in project development. The program models electrical and meteorological inputs to produce annual energy yields and performance indicators.

PVsyst provides modules and inverters libraries, allows users to specify system geometry (tilt, azimuth, array layout) and electrical wiring, and supports various tracking options. It can import weather data from typical meteorological year files (TMY/EPW) or measured data and uses solar radiation, temperature, and system losses to compute energy production. The software includes shading analysis using 3D scene visualization and horizon shading to account for surrounding structures and terrain.

The calculation engine combines PV module models, inverter efficiency curves, and loss factors such as soiling, mismatch, wiring, temperature, shading, aging, and nighttime losses to produce monthly and annual energy yields, performance ratio, and cash-flow or LCOE inputs for project evaluation. Results are presented as graphs and tabulated reports and can be exported for project documentation or further analysis.

PVsyst is a commercial tool with ongoing development, widely cited in industry and academia for PV system design and yield assessment. It is primarily run on Windows platforms, and data libraries include PV modules, inverters, and climate files.