Syntax

The inputs to the simulation are loaded in Step 3 of the Jupyter Notebook (except for the uncertainty distributions, which are loaded in Step 6).

The code syntax for Step 3 is as follows:

Analysis options

simulation_options = build_simulation_options(
    number_of_years=5,
    number_of_simulations=5000
)

Note that the maximum simulations is 250,000. (I.e., the number of years × number of simulations cannot exceed 250,000.)

Weather file

weather_file_path = "Data/sydney.pvw"
weather_data = load_weather_data_from_pvw_file(weather_file_path)

System configuration

The inputs that define the PV system are loaded in six groupings. The syntax for the inputs within those groupings is shown in the table below.

module_info = build_module_info()
optical_settings = build_optical_settings()
system_info = build_system_info()
thermal_settings = build_thermal_settings()
electrical_settings = build_electrical_settings()
operational_settings = build_operational_settings()

Output options

result_options = build_result_options(
    bin_min=0.9,
    bin_delta=0.01,
    p_values=[5, 10, 90, 95]
)

Example of including inputs within groupings

Example: Applying distributions to GHI and availability.

electrical_settings = build_electrical_settings(
    inverter_efficiency = 0.97,
)
operational_settings = build_operational_settings(
    yield_modifier=1,
    availability=0.99,
    dc_health=0.99,
)

Input names and their groupings

Any inputs that are not defined in Step 3 will take their default value.

ParameterGroupingSyntaxDefaultUnitsDistribution?Module length, module_info, length, 2, m, Module width, module_info, width, 1, m, Rated power at STC, module_info, power_at_stc, 22, %, ✓Module bifaciality, module_info, bifaciality, 1, —,

Thermal coefficient of module power, module_info, module_power_temperature_coefficient, -0.00295, K⁻¹, ✓

IAM (front and rear), —, —, n.a., —, Cell-to-cell mismatch, module_info, cell_to_cell_mismatch, 0.004, —, ✓Module height above ground, system_info, module_height, 1.5, m, Row pitch, system_info, row_pitch, 5.6, m, Module azimuth, system_info, module_azimuth, 90, °, Module tilt, system_info, module_tilt, 30, °, Module tilt limit, system_info, module_tilt_limit, 55, °, Module tracking, system_info, module_tracking, Single axis tracking, , Modules per string, system_info, modules_per_string, 1, —, Strings per inverter, system_info, strings_per_inverter, 1, —, Number of inverters, system_info, number_of_inverters, 1, —, Albedo, optical_settings, albedo, 0.2, —, Front beam multiplier, optical_settings, beam_multiplier_front, 1, —, Rear beam multiplier, optical_settings, beam_multiplier_rear, 1, —, Front isotropic multiplier, optical_settings, isotropic_multiplier_front, 1.01, —, Rear isotropic multiplier, optical_settings, isotropic_multiplier_rear, 1, —, Extra irradiance, optical_settings, —, 1, —, Rear structural shading, optical_settings, rear_structural_shading_factor, 0, —, Rear ransmission factor, optical_settings, rear_transmission_factor, 0, —, Spectral correction, optical_settings, spectral_correction, 1, —, Front soiling, optical_settings, soiling_front, 0.02, —, ✓Rear soiling, optical_settings, soiling_rear, 0.01, —, ✓

U_c, thermal_settings, uc, 25, W/m²/K, ✓

U_v, thermal_settings, uv, 1.2, W∙s/m³/K, ✓

Alpha, thermal_settings, alpha, 0.9, —, ✓Max-power tracking loss, electrical_settings, max_power_tracking_loss, 0, —, String wiring loss, electrical_settings, string_wiring_loss, 0.01, —, Module-to-module mismatch, electrical_settings, module_to_module_mismatch, 0.01, —, ✓String-to-string mismatch, electrical_settings, string_to_string_mismatch, 0, —, ✓Inverter clipping power, electrical_settings, inverter_clipping, double.Max, W, Inverter efficiency, electrical_settings, inverter_efficiency, 0.98, —, ✓Inverter wiring loss, electrical_settings, inverter_wiring_loss, 0, —, Inverter-to-inverter mismatch, electrical_settings, inverter_to_inverter_mismatch, 0, —, ✓Annual degradation rate, operational_settings, annual_degradation_rate, 0, —, ✓DC health, operational_settings, dc_health, 0, —, ✓Availability, operational_settings, availability, 0.99, —, ✓Curtailment, operational_settings, curtailment, 0, —, ✓Yield modifier, operational_settings, yield_modifier, 1, , ✓UndulatingGround, operational_settings, undulating_ground, 1, ,