Performance task

This guide applies to beta.easy-pv.ie version of Easy PV. The information provided here may not be accurate for easy-pv.co.uk, easy-pv.com and easy.pv.ie.

The performance task uses the location, roof inclination and orientation and shading information to estimate the annual output of the system. This is then used in the consumption task to estimate how much of what is generated will be used directly, used to charge a battery or exported to the grid, which is needed to estimate the financial benefits of the system. 

Navigating the performance task 

The right hand sidebar contains options to switch between the sunpaths and the performance results:

Screenshot from 2025-02-11 14-10-49.png

As well as the following options:

Screenshot from 2025-02-11 14-14-03.png

Edit inputs
Update the location, pitch and orientation of the roofs and panel allocation
Screenshot from 2024-11-18 11-58-50.png
View all options
Including editing performance preferences and opening the help page

Editing inputs 

Certain inputs are required for the performance estimate to be calculated. Designing in 3D and configuring your settings to automate panel allocation and sunpath diagram calculations will streamline much of this task.

Location and roofs

First, if not already input when creating the project, you will need to set the location. If you are creating a flat roof system or using quick roof mode, you will also need to input pitch and orientation. Both this and the location data are used to determine the output per kWp of the system.  

Both the location and roofs section may show as ticked and completed already if this information can be pulled from earlier tasks in the project.  

Panel allocation

This section will depend on how you have configured your settings.

If automatic allocation is selected and the location and roofs tabs are auto-completed, then the input window will not open. Click the pen icon to open the window and edit the inputs.

Sunpaths

The sunpath diagrams maps the path of the sun across the sky at different hours in the day for different months of the year. For each point on the sunpath diagram, Easy PV calculates the amount of solar radiation reaching the panels from direct and diffuse radiation. For shaded regions, where direct radiation is radiation is fully blocked, the system calculates how much diffuse radiation still reaches the panels. The shading factor is the proportion of solar radiation that reaches the panels after accounting for these shading losses.  

Automating with 3D

If designing in 3D or magic design mode, the shading can be calculated automatically, provided any trees or obstructions have been modeled. Otherwise, you will need to manually draw on the sunpath diagram what shade is on the panels at different points in the year. 

Navigating between inverters and inputs

On the top left you will see each of your inverters, below this for each inverter you will see each input on the inverter. There is a sunpath diagram and shading factor calculated for each input. 

Performance results  


Revision #31
Created 17 December 2024 11:28:58 by Daisy Kernick
Updated 24 February 2025 11:36:22 by Daisy Kernick