solarsimulator

Solarsimulator is a software tool used to model and analyze the performance of solar energy systems, including photovoltaic (PV) installations and solar thermal plants. It is used by engineers, researchers, and planners to forecast energy production, evaluate design options, and study system responses to changing solar exposure and weather conditions.

The software typically implements models for solar geometry and irradiance, module and inverter performance, temperature effects, electrical losses, shading, albedo, and system configuration effects such as tilt, azimuth, and tracking. Time steps range from minutes to hours, enabling hourly energy yield calculations and sensitivity analyses. Some implementations include Monte Carlo shading simulations, spectral considerations, and optimization routines for layout or mix of technologies.

Inputs include geographic location, weather data (historical, synthetic, or Typical Meteorological Year), system layout and components, wiring and loss factors, and economic assumptions if financial outputs are desired. Outputs commonly comprise energy yield (kWh), capacity factor, performance ratio, peak DC/AC power, and losses. Advanced versions may provide financial metrics, such as levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and uncertainty quantification.

Solarsimulator tools vary in accessibility and licensing; some are open-source, others are commercial. They are used in project design, feasibility studies, research, and education, and may operate as standalone applications or integrate with larger energy modelling environments.

Limitations include reliance on input data quality and model assumptions; results are estimates that improve with validation against measured performance. The term solarsimulator may refer to any software tool that performs solar system simulations rather than a single fixed product.