Dimensioning of photovoltaic plants made easy

A new, free-of-charge software is now available from the Siemens Industry Automation Division for calculating the best possible configuration of photovoltaic (PV) plants. The program, Sinvert Select V2.2, can be downloaded from the Internet at www.siemens.com/sinvert-select. It enables the planner to evaluate in advance the cost-effectiveness of PV plants from 10 kW up to the megawatt range. A comparison of possible configurations shows the energy yield of the various plant arrangements. The software is available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish, and has been specially designed for Sinvert PV inverters.

Sinvert Select V2.2 is used for dimensioning, analyzing and optimizing inverters for PV plants. On the basis of inputs, it automatically calculates the best possible inverter configuration from the Sinvert portfolio. These inputs do not just include factors such as location, line frequency, PV module type and rated power, but also allow for installation conditions with the inclination and azimuth of the PV modules. The program computes the performance ratio for each variant, i.e. the ratio between target and useful yield, and the potential energy yield per annum. The planner can thus compare, analyze and optimize individual configurations according to these parameters. For instance, by varying individual parameters, such as the number of inverters, strings and modules per string, or even cell temperatures and cable losses, the planner can directly analyze the effects. The program allows a flat rate for losses resulting from increases in module temperature at high insolation levels, reductions in yield at low insolation levels, and dirty modules. Calculations are based on extensive databases of information for more than 300 locations in 26 countries, with all common 4200 PV modules available worldwide and Sinvert inverters. The databases are regularly updated in the Internet. Sinvert Select V2.2 provides detailed reports for screen presentations, printing and archiving in PDF format.