Multi-Year Analysis of Inverter Clipping Losses & Module Degradation

[ASZulu]

A client has requested that we conduct an assessment of string inverters versus central inverters on PVsyst by analysing the inverter losses on an annual basis for a 25-year lifecycle. In addition to the typical losses displayed in the simulation report, they would like to see the annual clipping losses as well as the nett yield as a result of these losses by means of a 1 - 25 year generation table (I have read that this is done via PVsyst's Batch Mode capability, but needed guidance on the approach).

Please may you assist by providing assistance on how to approach this client request on the PVsyst platform for both scenarios.

Many thanks!

[Linda Thoren]

Hi,

You find information of how to define the ageing in the following tutorial:

The Batch mode is described in the following tutorial:

 

[ASZulu]

Thank you for this feedback, Linda.

[ASZulu]

Hi, Linda. 

When following the steps in the second video, I cannot seem to find the approach to simulating data for 25 separate, consecutive years. My resulting batch CSV shows the exact same outputs for all inputs, as per the attachment below:

Please may you advise on where I went wrong or how I can edit inputs to show independent losses and resulting parameters to show the inverter behaviour over a 25-year period.

 

Thanks again.

[Linda Thoren]

Hi, 
It seams like you have set all the simulations for year 1. In the 15th column "Simulation Year"

[ASZulu]

Hi Linda,

 

Yes. Even when I change the Year No. to "25" in the "Aging" section within the "Detailed Losses", it seems to produce results related to that specific year as many times as there are rows.

 

How do I ensure that each row is for each year, and not one year repeated across multiple rows (as attached)?

 

Your assistance is really appreciated.

[Linda Thoren]

You define the year in the batch parameter csv file. As in the video tutorial un minute 7. Now indeed it seems like you are not varying any of the parameters and simulate the same project 25 times.  

[ASZulu]

Hi Linda,

Thank you.

After ensuring that the "Simulation for Year" is from 1 to 25, I get results as per the below attachment. This now shows reduction in production, but somehow inverter losses (columns starting with "IL_") also decrease with each year, which is not what we had expected.

Could I have missed something?

Many thanks! 

[dtarin]

It is expected for plant/inverter clipping to decrease as system capacity degrades. 

[Linda Thoren]

Hello,

With lower PV production due to ageing modules, it seems reasonable to see less overload losses.