Improving Solar Energy Production Estimates with Submodule Simulation

Accurate energy production estimates for solar designs are especially important for commercial installations, where differences of even a few percent can translate to tens of thousands of dollars in net present value and cash flows. It is critical, therefore, that the simulation software used to generate these estimates is as accurate and robust as possible. In this webinar, we will introduce a submodule performance simulation engine that models the electrical behavior of a solar design down to the level of cell strings and bypass diodes, describing the theory behind it and its implementation. Using the Aurora solar platform, we will walk through a commercial solar case study demonstrating how a submodule-level simulation can lead to production estimates 1-2% higher than less granular simulations. We will also use the software to perform financial analysis and quantify the dollar value of a more accurate simulation result.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• How to use Aurora features like LIDAR and computer vision to accurately design a commercial solar installation
• How submodule-level simulation differs from more traditional modeling approaches and its impact on energy production estimates
• How small changes in predicted energy output can translate to a significant amount of money for a commercial solar project, and how to quantify that dollar value with a rigorous financial analysis