PV*SOL Wishlist

[Tiago Motta]

A) Improved the function of exporting plan diagram strings to CAD files (dxf, dwg) to allow the ENTIRE plan to be exported in a single file at the same time, and not separated by assembly area.

- The size of the string identification letters is too small in the exported model. It should be possible to adjust the size of the letters according to the size of the plot sheet, or redirect all identification to a side legend;

The drawing of cables is often unnecessary and moreover it pollutes the file when you just want to have the string plan. Ideally, it would be possible to choose to have the dxf/dwg similar to the layout obtained in the 3D view in the inverter configuration part (image below), with, of course, being possible to see the numbering letters of the modules, which is not possible when viewing the entire system.

 

 

The limitations of exporting separately by assembly area makes this function often useless, as you have to copy and paste each of the areas into a CAD software to allow editing the floor plan drawing.

 

In addition, exporting the file should also allow loading of building data, such as the top view image of the model itself, or, even better, the edges of the building and the roofs in floor plan, since exporting only the string design brings a poor project data since it does not carry any information from the other 3D objects involved in the scenario.

A complete export functionality of the design in detail to editable CAD file is essential for anyone working with large projects where documentation and design detailing is required. In the current model, with poor information from the model exported from PVSol, a large rework is practically always necessary (and with very low design time efficiency) as it is necessary to redesign the entire plant in CAD software.

[JesperE_Co2Pro]

Add the possibility to do panels in x * x amounts in pairs with parameters like east/west tilting, but make it so that they dont "register" as different module areas.

Like with K2 systems you can do Dome 6.0 which is panels attached in pairs of 2. 
There is then x distance between them horisontal and vertical like with the east/west.

You can use east/west and then set the angle to 0, but the problem with this is that it will still register as 2 different module areas so in inverter configuration it is see as 2.

It should rather register as they do when doing example module coverage. Because in 0 degrees it doesnt matter which panels are connected together like if there was an difference in angle between them.

 

Regards

[JornKjetil]

•  I wish there was a place to write project notes, to a to-do list or information about what was important when preparing the calculation.
• Also wants the opportunity to enter your own disclaimer text in the report. Is there any way to modify the template to add such text?

[JanDeloz]

I wish to have better search in PV module catalogue. For example to have possibility use more filters, I want to search for panel 400W, dimension 1650x1200, no matter manufacter.

[Jeff]

PVsol is a great tool !

The 3D modelling part (including the Google 3D terrain extracted by SketchUp) is great and user friendly (complete newbie speaking), the hardware library & description seems complete but the Senec 420M (bifacial) I needed to model is missing and I don't see a generic panel we could configurate. The number of parameters one can visualize about the photovoltaic system is huge. I only missed a measuring toolkit (distances, azimut or elevation, planar or solid angles,...) between objects in the 3D scene. I also would have liked to be able to compute the shading losses on a given time frame of the year, or for a given month (to be able for exemple to maximize the output of the generator during the winter).

[Jordn]

Would be great for the Production Forecast graph to show specific kWh values each month. For example:

 

[juan_pv]

Hello. Another request to be able to charge the batteries from the grid during off-peak periods.

This has become extremely important, given the current energy prices and the need to manage maximum demand.

We manage 80+ Tesla Powerwall 2, and we have now put them all on time-based control (i.e., they charge at night during super off-peak hours) as it brings significant savings, which has become the priority for our clients.

 

[Rohith]

1. It would be nice if we have montaging options also not only for modules but also for the under construction and it would be even better if we can create a part list where it can fore cast how many module clamps, rails , hooks etc.
2. Wind load/ Snow load analysis.
3. Height limit of 300m is a bit small as i import .obj files they are imported vertically and they scale bigger projects making it very difficult to plan.
4. Would love the idea of having a Scaffolding object.

 

[Johan]

As simple "ctrl Z" or undo button would be extremely nice!

Greetz Johan

[Solarific]

In the UK National Grid is effectively blocking utility scale 11kV solar PV projects from connecting to the grid because of the need for high level reinforcement. Many of these schemes could go ahead with grid export limitation and using battery energy storage to power shift in order to avoid down regulation and loss of generation.

In trying to use PVSOL to model a PV + battery system and setting a maximum grid export power limit, I find that the software only allows a battery system to be added against a demand load.

Please can you add the ability for a battery system to be used for the example I have described as this would add a significant dimension to the usefulness of PVSOL.

At the same time please can you add a battery charge / discharge strategy so that power shifting by overnight lower tariff grid energy with daytime discharge can be simulated as well as power shifting peak daytime solar generation to the higher value late afternoon / early evening discharge period.

These features are available in PVsyst for example and surely aren't that difficult to add?

[Chloe G]

I agree with most of the suggestions already sent to this topic and would like to add my own wishlist:

1. Parapet wall integration that wraps around the whole building, tricky if it's a double pitched roof as it will create parapet wall along the ridge
2. Panel swapping feature for different module dimensions, I don't understand why we don't have this already and why the different panel dimensions is an obstacle to this
3. The option to manually string the panels, useful for modelling already existing systems or if there were any changes to the stringing post-installation
4. I echo the need for a bigger design are so we can model bigger projects

PVSol is one of the best solar softwares we currently have but hope this thread can help it become the best solar software to use

[Torbjørn Heimvik]

On 2/25/2020 at 10:00 AM, Sander said:

- would like to see an undo button as discribed above. (or at least be able to lock a complex building and their surroundings, so one misclick doens't destroy your work)
- need more options for EV. (e.g. distance travelled per week day, range according new WLTP system)
- while the software perfectly suits my technical needs, it seems lackluster/old as a client proposal.
- could we have a blanc page in the customer presentation where we can add project or installer specific additional information.
- some presentation pages need additional (customizable) information. (while a graph or scheme or just some numbers wth a title above will be very clear for us, a customer most of the time doens't know what he is looking at)
- file size of the presentation should be smaller, but pictures should still be high res.
- would like to be able to send an electronic presentation to a customer with some analytics possibilities. (where do customers actualy look at?)
- easier construction of "complex" buildings. (depth of building schould be addapted to the angle and dimensions of the roof area being used for the array)
 

A function to lock buildings and other 3d objects and their surroundings would be very useful! E.g. that one can choose to lock buildings to certain coordinates...

[Torbjørn Heimvik]

It would be nice to have a measuring tool. That is, "a ruler" tool to check different distances that cannot be found from object information.

[Torbjørn Heimvik]

For flat roof installations: Is it possible to choose if the distance between mounting support can be on the high side vs. the low side? See example attached

[PhilR]

Ability to import CSV consumption files in more normal format - ie one row per day.

To have to manually convert 48 entries in one row for 365 days worth of data is nuts.

 

[Torbjørn Heimvik]

Indicator of short circuit current (I_sc) of the configuration in the "configuration check" for inverter:

Now it only shows for maximum power current (current under STC), but not short circuit current:

 

 

[Torbjørn Heimvik]

Many buildings have a lot of edges and must be drawn manually. But for these structures, it is not possible to add for instance tilting in several directions (which is possible for normal rectangular polygons that can be drawn). This is useful as most buildings have some tilt on the roof for water drainage: either with water chutes / gutter at the sides (like a gabled roof with low angle), or in the middle (opposite of gabled roof, as illustrated in the attached picture). Some buildings have several of these as well. 

PVSOL needs an option to add this, so that the correct incidence angle of irradiance on the PV modules is achieved.

[Peter_]

Variable grid export limitations.

with grid capacity congestion becoming a growing problem, we need to get more and more creative to be able to get a grid connection .  One of the solutions being under investigation is variable grid feed in.

based on:

• day and night 
• week and weekend
• seasonality

I know its a bit of a niche, but the ability to model the time at which we are allowed to have grid feed in (or not) would be nice to have.

(For the moment we can use the excel results to model it. )

[Frido]

When rotating an object, deactivate collisions while doing so.

I am often unable to rotate something because it hits another object while rotating.

 

Also, it would be more intuitive if the object would rotate around it’s geometric centre, and not it's base point.

 

[developer_fw]

18 minutes ago, Frido said:

When rotating an object, deactivate collisions while doing so.

You could deactivate collision detection before rotating though.

[Frido]

On 11/21/2023 at 9:37 AM, developer_fw said:

You could deactivate collision detection before rotating though.

Thanks for your response!

II do (because I have to). But it's one more step (two more, since you will likely want to activate collision after again) that shouldn't be necessary in my opinion.

[ionut]

I would like to be able to upload plans from autocad

[Peter_]

hi,

Just a small request: when copying tables from pvsol to excel it gives the table units  W, this should be KWh.

my internal me can't cope with wrong units so i always have to manually edit it 

 

 

    Appliances    Standby Consumption (Inverter)    covered by PV power    covered by grid
Month    W    W    W    W    <--------- here
Jan    54971,7    104,3    20176,6    34899,3
Feb    65860    85,1    28684,2    37260,8
Mar    50555    81    27640,1    22995,9
 

[ITG-Wenzler]

Hello,

my wishes are true Database filters:

• min to max
• merge multiple parameters like "area = with x length" or "power / area"
• filter multiple parameters together

or the possibility to export the Database to txt, csv, ...

Actual Filters are a joke!

[ITG-Wenzler]

Hello,

my next wishes are:

- hight adjustment of 3D Objects so that they can be below or over 0, and disable the 0 Area so we can have variable 3D Map (best would be import from Maps, but dont know it would be alowed)

- glare analysis like here (https://www.forgesolar.com/help/), in the future we all will have to prove that the arrays will not be hazarous for planes / cars / trains and will not restrict naighbors! The used Code can be licenced https://www.sandia.gov/glare-tools/ maby you can port it in future versions.