Inquiry on Simulating PV Façade Installations in PVsyst

[Sara]

 

 

I would like to inquire about the correct procedure for simulating PV façade installations in PVsyst. I have specified the available façade area and set the tilt angle to 90°, but I am uncertain how the software interprets this configuration. Does PVsyst arrange the panels vertically on a single flat surface (side by side), or are they positioned one behind another?

Additionally, is there an alternative or more accurate method to simulate façade-mounted PV systems in PVsyst?

[Linda Thoren]

Hello,

The available area in the Pre-sizing help in the System window, serves as a guide for a first order of magnitude of how many panels you can fit on a dedicated surface. This tool take only the size of the panels into consideration (not the spacing between the panels or a pitch). 

If no 3D scene is defined, no configuration other than what is defined in the system and orientation window is considered (no shadings). Defining a 3D scene with the surrounding shading elements, include electrical shading definition etc. will more accurately simulate the system. You find a tutorial for the 3D tool in the following link:

Another potential important parameter for a vertical system would be the reflection on the ground. For a monofacial system, this is discussed in the following forum page:

 

[Sara]

Thank you very much for your time and support.

I am currently considering near shading effects in my simulation for vertical façades and have imported a 3D model of my building. I would like to clarify a few points:

1) For one of the façades, the total area is approximately 7,000 m², but the PV installation will cover only a specific section of about 1,100 m². Is there a way to define or limit the PV installation area within the Near Shadings scene?

2) For this same building, I will be using two different PV module types, one for the rooftop and another for the façades. What is the correct way to model this setup in PVsyst?

3)Finally, are there any additional considerations or best practices to ensure accurate simulation results for vertical PV façade installations?

[Muhammed Sarikaya]

Dear Sara,

You need to adjust your PV area to make it 1,100 m², but you also need to know its position on the façade.

At first, you have two orientations — one for the façade and one for the rooftop. So, you need to create two orientations, and in the system, create two sub-arrays where you can assign the appropriate PV modules for each orientation.

Then, in the 3D scene, when you place the PV modules, you need to select the initial orientation. If the PV module brand or size is different, Near Shadings will automatically detect it.

What’s important to know is that Near Shadings is used to calculate shading losses on your PV surface. Once calculated, it applies the percentage of shading losses to the final simulation results.

Regards,