Photovoltaic Systems in SAM

2020.2.29
Paul Gilman
2020 SAM Webinars
August 5, 2020
 SAM Webinars for 2020

Introduction to SAM Workshop July 22

PV Systems in SAM 2020.2.29 Aug 5
Batteries in SAM 2020.2.29:
Focus on Battery Technology Aug 19
Behind-the-Meter Systems Sep 2
Front-of-Meter Systems Sep 16

Register for free at: https://sam.nrel.gov/events.html

This webinar will be recorded and posted on the SAM website at
https://sam.nrel.gov/ NREL | 2
 Questions and Answers

Instant Join Viewer

Desktop application
We will either type an answer to your question
or answer it at the end of the presentation. NREL | 3
 Outline

1 Detailed design steps for a residential PV system

2 String sizing with the System Sizing macro
3 Utility scale system: Tracking and self-shading
4 Shading, soiling, snow, and other losses
5 P50/P90 simulations with NREL NSRDB data
6 Importing data from other models
7 Questions and answers
NREL | 4
What is SAM?
The System Advisor Model
Free computer software
developed and distributed by the
U.S. Department of Energy’s
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Calculates:
• A power system’s energy output
over one year
• A power project’s cash flow over
years of operation
“Introduction to SAM 2020.2.29”
https://sam.nrel.gov NREL | 5
Residential PV
system
Installed, owned, operated
by a residential
homeowner.

Power from system

reduces homeowner’s
monthly electricity bill.

Is a project economically
feasible given its cost and
energy production? “Electricity Rates and Bill Savings for Residential and Commercial Projects”
https://sam.nrel.gov/financial-models/residential-and-commercial NREL | 6
Neighborhood PV
system in Portland,
Oregon

NREL | 7
First, choose a performance and financial model

Performance model calculates power

produced by PV system
– Get weather data
– Choose module and inverter
– Design the system
Financial model calculates electricity
savings and project cash flow
– Get load and rate data
– Define financial parameters
– Define system costs
NREL | 8
Next, download a weather file
Type a street address, location name, or latitude longitude pair, like:
– “golden, co”
– “15013 Denver West Parkway Golden, CO”
– “39.74,-105.18”
SAM downloads weather files from the National Solar Radiation Database
– Typical meteorological year (TMY) suitable for long term cash flow model
– Single year when load data is available for a particular year
– Multiple files for P50/P90 analysis

NREL | 9
 NSRDB Coverage Map

“About the NSRDB”

https://sam.nrel.gov/weather-data/weather-data-videos

For other sources of data, see https://sam.nrel.gov/weather-data

NREL | 10
When the download finishes, SAM automatically adds the file to your solar
resource library, which is a list of the weather files on your computer.

Click Add/remove weather file folders to

add other files to your library.

“Downloading Solar Resource Data”

https://sam.nrel.gov/weather-data/weather-data-videos NREL | 11
Design the system
System Size

Choose Inverter

Choose Modules

String Size

Number of Strings

Array Orientation

NREL | 12
Design the system: System size
Use roof area to determine maximum system capacity:
Array Capacity (W) = Roof Area (m²) * Module Efficiency * 1,000 W/m²
35 m² * 0.15 * 1,000 W/m² = 5,250 W

Assume about 1,000 W/m² of sunlight available on

a clear sunny day at noon based on Standard Test
Conditions (STC).

About 17 x 12 feet available on each surface:

17 ft * 12 ft
= 204 sq ft * 2
= 408 sq ft
≈ 35 m²

NREL | 13
Design the system: Inverter
System Size
~5 DC kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
5,000 DC W / 1.2 = 4166.7 AC W ≈ 4200 AC W

Module

String Size

Number of Strings

Array Orientation

NREL | 14
Inverter: 5 DC kW / 1.2 ≈ 4.2 AC kW
Click column heading to sort by
maximum AC power (Paco)

Click row in table to choose an

inverter

Note voltage ratings

NREL | 15
Design the system: Module
System Size
5 kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
4200 AC W Power-One PVI-4.2

Module
Initial guess: 250 W modules, 5,000 W array / 250 W module = 20 modules

String Size

Number of Strings

Array Orientation
NREL | 16
Module: 5 DC kW / 20 modules = 250 DC W module

Filter by name. Sort by STC power rating.

Choose module.

Note ratings.

“Preview of SAM’s New Model for Bifacial PV Modules”

https://sam.nrel.gov/photovoltaic/pv-videos NREL | 17
Design the system: String size
System Size
5 kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
4200 AC W Power-One PVI-4.2

Module
250 DC W Trina Solar TSM-250

String Size
Inverter Maximum Voltage / Module Voc
Maximum modules per string: 480 VDC / 37.8 VDC = 12.7 ≈ 12
Minimum modules per string: 100 VDC / 37.8 VDC = 2.65 ≈ 3

Number of Strings
Array Orientation
NREL | 18
Array divided into
two strings facing
East and West

Use 2 inverter MPPT inputs

because subarrays have
different orientations
NREL | 19
Design the system: Number of strings
System Size
5 kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
4200 AC W Power-One PVI-4.2

Module
250 DC W Trina Solar TSM-250

String Size
10 modules

Number of Strings
2 strings, 2 inverter MPPT inputs

Array orientation
Two subarrays, 10 degree tilt, E-W facing NREL | 20
One inverter, two strings of 10 modules, E-W facing subarrays
Number of inverters

Verify capacities

Enable two subarrays, 10

modules per string

NREL | 21
 Two inverter MPPT inputs, configure on System Design and Inverter input pages

2 MPPT inputs

Assign each subarray to an

inverter input

“Modeling PV Systems with Multiple MPPTs”

https://sam.nrel.gov/photovoltaic/pv-videos

NREL | 22
Design the system: Array orientation
System Size
5 kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
4200 AC W Power-One PVI-4.2

Module
250 DC W Trina Solar TSM-250

String Size
10 modules

Number of Strings
2 strings, 2 inverter MPPT inputs

Array orientation
Two subarrays, 10 degree tilt, E-W facing NREL | 23
Orientation for two East-West facing subarrays at 10° tilt

Tilt and azimuth angles

NREL | 24
System design
System Size
5 kW, 1.2 DC/AC ratio

Inverter
4200 AC W Power-One PVI-4.2

Module
250 DC W Trina Solar TSM-250

String Size
10 modules

Number of Strings
2 strings, 2 inverter MPPT inputs

Array orientation
Two subarrays, 10 degree tilt, E-W facing NREL | 25
 Run a simulation, refine the design

• Check System Design page for sizing messages.

• Read any simulation messages.
• Use Losses tab to identify potential sizing issues
– Excessive clipping losses
– Module-related losses

NREL | 26
 Use System Sizing macro to find
alternate designs
• Generates a report of design and operating voltages based
on simulation results and conventional design rules.
• Generates a list of modules that work given the system
design.
• Try changing number of modules per string, or choosing
different modules and inverters and compare macro results
to find best design.

NREL | 27
 For example, try changing string length from 10 to 7
modules to refine design for fewer modules

First macro run with 7 250 W modules Second run with 7 335 W modules
per string suggests that 335 W modules confirms that voltages are within inverter
would also work. limits. NREL | 28
Power Purchase
Agreement (PPA)
Project

Installed, owned, and

operated by a single owner
or partnership.

Power from PV system sold

to generate revenue.

Does project revenue

cover installation and
operating costs?
NREL | 29
 Ground coverage ratio (GCR) and self-shading
Create Detailed PV / Single Owner case: 20 MW system with 64,488 modules and 22
inverters.

Duplicate case with GCR = 0.9.

Compare results: They are the same.

On Shading and Layout page, enable self-shading with 2 x 12 rows.

Compare results: GCR = 0.9 has severe shading.

Use parametrics to plot annual energy vs. GCR.

NREL | 30
 External shading and snow losses

Import external shading data

3D Shade Calculator to generate shading data
Snow model when data available in weather file

“Modeling Shading Losses for PV Systems”

https://sam.nrel.gov/photovoltaic/pv-videos

Ryberg, D.; Freeman, J. (2017). Integration, Validation and Application of a PV

Snow Coverage Model in SAM. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 33 pp.
TP-6A20-68705. (PDF 3.1 MB)

NREL | 31
 P50 / P90 analysis

• On Location and Resource

page, use Download Files
for all years option to
download weather files to
a folder.
• Click P50/P90, and choose
the folder.
• Click Run P50/P90
simulations.
“P50/P90 Analysis”
https://sam.nrel.gov/weather-data/weather-data-videos NREL | 32
 Importing data from other models

• PVsyst OND – PAN to SAM macro imports module, inverter,

and weather data from PVsyst files
• Solar Resource File Converter macro imports weather data
from PVGIS 5 and SolarAnywhere
• Use Generic System model to use a generation profile from a
different model as input to SAM

NREL | 33
Thank you!
www.nrel.gov
Array Layout Examples

Supporting Slides
Layout examples are in pv-layout-examples-
2020.2.29.sam file

Case numbers correspond to numbers in the

titles of the next few slides.

These examples use a small number of modules

for clarity but the same concepts apply to large
arrays with hundreds or thousands of modules.

NREL | 36
1: One string, one inverter, one MPPT

NREL | 37
2: Two identical strings, one inverter, one MPPT

“Identical strings” means both strings have

same number of modules, orientation,
tracking and shading, so both subarrays
operate at same voltage.

NREL | 38
 3: Two different strings, one inverter, one MPPT
“Different strings” could have different number of
modules, and/or different orientation, tracking, or
shading.
Inverter DC voltage is either average of subarray
voltages, or if you enable it, calculated using voltage
mismatch option.

NREL | 39
 PV Subarray Voltage Mismatch Option

Use this option (at the bottom of the System Design page) with two
or more subarrays connected to a single inverter MPPT input when
the subarrays have different string lengths or orientations, and you
want a more precise estimate of inverter input voltage than the
average of subarray voltages.
NREL | 40
4: Two different strings, one inverter, two MPPTs

Each string operates at a different voltage.

NREL | 41
 5: Three strings (two identical), two inverters, one
MPPT
Inverter DC voltage is either average of
subarray voltages, or if you enable it,
calculated using voltage mismatch option.

NREL | 42
 6: Three strings (two identical), one inverter, two
MPPTs
Both strings of Subarray 1 operate at same voltage,
string of Subarray 2 operates at its own voltage.

NREL | 43
8: Microinverters

NREL | 44
For microinverters, be sure to set module mismatch
loss on Losses page

NREL | 45
Financial Models

Supporting Slides
Residential PV
system
Installed, owned, operated
by a residential
homeowner.

Power from system

reduces homeowner’s
monthly electricity bill.

Is a project economically
feasible given its cost and
energy production?
NREL | 47
 Financial model overview

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

Sell power to generate revenue
Power price is fixed with optional escalation
and time-of-delivery adjustments
Distributed
On customer side of electricity meter
Reduce customer’s electricity bill
Merchant Plant
Sell power at market prices
LCOE Calculator
Calculate levelized cost of energy using simple
fixed-charge-rate method.
See https://sam.nrel.gov/financial-models NREL | 48
Commercial PV
System
Installed, owned, and
operated by business
owner.

Power from PV system

reduces business owner’s
electricity bill.

Is a project economically
feasible given its cost and
energy production?
NREL | 49
Third party ownership for projects with a developer who owns the system and a
host who uses the power:

Host: Compare lease to power purchase agreement (PPA) option from the
host (building owner) perspective.

Host / Developer: Calculate “host indifference point,” or PPA price that

developer would have to charge to make project feasible.

Other distributed financial models

NREL | 50
Power Purchase
Agreement (PPA)
Project

Installed, owned, and

operated by a single owner
or partnership.

Power from PV system sold

to generate revenue.

Does project revenue

cover installation and
operating costs?
NREL | 51