PVsyst

PVsyst is a preliminary design tool for evaluating the effectiveness and deployment possibilities of photovoltaic systems for converting sunlight into usable electricity.



Designed from the ground up to be a valuable tool for engineers, researchers, educators, and architects, it can quickly and reliably model the possible deployment formats for PV systems, create full reports, visual graphs, and detailed data tables that are ready for exporting and use in other software.

PVsyst is an all-in-one software package for the evaluation of PV systems. It provides built-in tools for evaluating the initial system designs (with a large database of pre-built components for easier setting of starting parameters and a full editor for tweaking each component to fit your needs), a system sizing tool for exploring optimal inverter sizing, and other parameters of your PV setup.



Interactive and highly customizable 3D Shading Scene tool that can simulate the effects of your setup, comprehensive simulation and reporting service, support for calculation of grid storage, direct integration with metronome service for placing and testing of your PC setup on any simulated location on Earth, a database of meteo data, other PV modules and components, multi-year batch simulation of aging effects, and many more tools and services.

Define
Perform rapid simulations by defining a wide range of parameters.

Design
Refine the definition of your system's losses and shading.

Simulate
Conduct an hourly simulation using all your input data.

Analyse
Generate a comprehensive final report including customisable graphs and deliverables.

This highly-customized simulation tool is perfect for the simulation of PV systems of all sizes, from small personal projects to large PV platforms intended to provide reliable power delivery to a large number of customers.

It even features a 3D CAO tool for drawing the geometry of the entire PV system, automatic sun position and shading calculation for beam components, and much more.

PVsyst is available for purchase under several types of licenses (Pro30 and Premium, all with one year of official support with the option to extend it), the entire app can also be tested for FREE in a 30-day trial.



Features and Highlights

• Comprehensive design tool for evaluating photovoltaic systems of all sizes.
• Compile a detailed evaluation of the effectiveness of your PV platform. Detailed computation of PV conversion effectiveness.
• Simulation of sun/shadow for your PV system, including placement on structures and precise location/orientation.
• Build-in support for location searching via Google Maps and Meteonorm interpolation.
• Direct shading simulation calculation takes into consideration the effects of nearby big plants.
• Tools for parameter optimization.
• Optimized for Windows 11/10. It can be used in Windows 8/8.1 via virtual machines.
• Available for FREE via 30-day trial demo.

New Features in version 8

Project Definition and System Design

• System Design: Quickly create grid-connected, standalone, or pumping photovoltaic (PV) systems with guided component selection for optimal sizing.
• System Sizing: Analyze and optimize module and inverter configurations using I/V curves, power distribution, and loss analysis.
• Custom Orientations: Define unlimited orientations and combine trackers with fixed plans for enhanced project flexibility.
• Simulations and Reporting: Perform annual energy calculations, assess key metrics (energy yield, specific energy), and generate detailed reports on gains and losses.

Shading Analysis

• Near Shadings: Build or import 3D models, identify orientations, validate scenes, and perform precise multithreaded calculations for realistic designs.
• Horizon Shadings: Simplify distant shadowing by importing data from sources like Meteonorm or PVGIS.
• Electrical Shading Losses: Evaluate mismatch losses by calculating I/V characteristics across modules and strings.

Comprehensive Tools

• Grid Storage & Self-Consumption: Manage energy with strategies for storing excess energy or optimizing direct PV usage.
• Advanced Simulations: Simulate bifacial systems, single/dual-axis trackers, and implement safety measures like backtracking.
• Meteorological Data: Automatically import weather data from sources like Meteonorm, NASA-SSE, PVGIS, and more.
• Optimization & Batch Processing: Leverage tools for multi-year simulations, row spacing adjustments, bifacial height optimization, and module ageing analysis.
• Economic Assessment: Calculate system costs (CAPEX, OPEX), pricing strategies, and profitability metrics (NPV, LCOE, ROI).

Component Integration

• Access an updated database of PV panels, inverters, batteries, pumps, and optimizers for accurate simulations.

Off-Grid and Pumping Systems

• Pumping Systems: Simulate solar-powered pumping with hydraulic modeling and water storage integration.
• Standalone Systems: Assess off-grid efficiency by defining energy storage needs and user requirements.

Installation and Use

The installation package of PVsyst weighs in at just under 200 MB, enabling any user to quickly download it and deploy it on their home, work PC, workstation, or virtual machine.



The app officially doesn’t support access via Remote Desktop Client or running at Windows and Application servers. Instead, it is intended to be run natively on Windows 11/10, or under virtual machines on Windows 8/8.1.  Mac and Linux users can run this app using virtual machines.

Minimal system requirements are set at any PC that can run Windows 8 or 11, with at least 1 GB of system RAM memory, 1GB of free storage space, a graphics card that supports OpenGL 2.0 or higher, and a minimum screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels (SVGA).

Pricing

30 days FREE trial version for Professional version.

Professional Plan - $797 USD.

• Unlimited features
• Unrestricted access to components database
• Updates included
• Also grants access to PVsyst 7

Discounts on grouped orders

2-4 licences: -5%

5-9 licences: -15%

10+ licences: -20%

Education Plan

• Full features with an "Education" watermark on reports
• Access granted upon proof of an educational program
• For teacher devices only
• Price: $470 USD/year

Classroom Plan

• Full features with a "Classroom" watermark on reports
• Access granted upon proof of an educational program
• Manufacturers listed generically in reports
• Price: $28 USD/year

Student Plan

• Full features with a "Student" watermark on reports
• Access granted upon proof of a valid student card
• Manufacturers listed generically in reports
• Price: $28 USD/year

Training / Research Plan

• Full features with "Training" or "Research" watermark on reports
• Access granted upon proof of participation in a training or research program
• Price: $626 USD/year

Required Computer Fonfiguration

Compatible Operating Systems

• All Windows client versions currently supported by Microsoft: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11 (32-bit or 64-bit)
• Other operating systems may support PVsyst installation and execution but no guarantee can be provided

Unsupported Operating Systems:

Servers and application servers (Citrix, ZenDesktop, ZenApp,…), Remote Desktop, Azure Virtual Desktop machine, Windows Enterprise editions.

Minimum required configuration:

• At least 2 GB of RAM
• At least 2 GB of free space on the hard drive
• Minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
• Graphics card supporting OpenGL 2.0 or higher
• .NET 4.8 framework (for Meteonorm)
• PVsyst workspace does not support shared or remotely synced drives / folders (including OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc…). Files and workspaces can be synced as a separate task, once PVsyst has been closed

Languages

English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Polish.

PROS

• Comprehensive Analysis: Offers detailed simulation and analysis for PV systems, including shading analysis, system loss calculations, and performance ratio.
• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive interface that simplifies complex simulations.
• Wide Database: Extensive database of PV modules, inverters, and meteorological data.
• Financial Analysis: Provides economic evaluation tools, helping in assessing project feasibility.
• Versatile Applications: Suitable for different types of PV systems, including grid-connected, stand-alone, and hybrid systems.
• Detailed Reporting: Generates comprehensive reports and visualizations, aiding in documentation and presentation.

CONS

• Resource-Intensive: Demands significant computational resources, which might slow down older systems.
• Limited Customization: Some users may find the customization options limited for specific needs.