Info

This app illustrates a PV tool, inspecting high resolution measurements of a Swiss residential PV plant.

Location: North of the city of Zürich
PV capacity : \(P_\text{DC} =\) 35.2 kWp (Panels), \(P_\text{AC} =\) 25 kW (Inverter)
Panel orientation: [\(P_\text{DC}\), orientation, slope]

  • 4.5 kWp, 42°, 37°
  • 12.4 kWp, 42°, 43°
  • 16.1 kWp, 222°, 43°
  • 2.2 kWp, 222°, 90°
Time resolution: 30 seconds
Years: 2024

In addition, see the comparison of two different residential PV plants, one located in Switzerland, the other in Greece:

 

PV measurements (hourly average)
PV measurements and simulation of variable inverter capacity (high resolution)
Adjust inverter AC capacity (\(P_\text{AC}\)): 15 kW

Plot a week starting on day: 150
 
Annual production for different inverter capacities
Key observation: The curve flattens out quickly. Downgrading from \(P_\text{AC} =\) 25 kW to a smaller inverter with \(P_\text{AC} =\) 20 kW would result in a loss of less than 0.5 % of the annual production.
PV curtailment: simulation of energy loss with different power limits
Power limit type:   



 

Key observations:
  • Curtailing at 70% of \(P_\text{AC}\) (or 50% of \(P_\text{DC}\)) results in a loss of less than 2% of the annual production.
  • It is observed that using high-resolution measurements is important to estimate the curtailed energy. Otherwise, it is suggested to adjust for averaging error. When curtailing at 70% of \(P_\text{AC}\) (or 50% of \(P_\text{DC}\)), measurements in 15-minute resolution yields a loss of 1.04% of the annual production (instead of 1.91% with measurements in 30-second resolution).
PV curtailment: simulation of day with most curtailment
Power limit type:   



Power limit: 70 %