PVGIS : the FREE tool for estimating photovoltaic production
Investing in solar panels is an option, but at what cost?
How do you determine whether buying a photovoltaic system will be profitable?
And if so, when will it pay off?
When you contact an installer for a quote, they'll certainly give you an estimate. But how accurate is this estimate?
Surprisingly, finding a precise answer to this question is a difficult exercise.
Calculating the output Cost for Solar Panels requires taking into account many factors, such as the type of material, the age of the panels, shading, sunlight, orientation, inclination, and many others. For some years now, a free online solution has been available for estimating solar panel production: PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System).
PVGIS analyzes GPS, weather and other data to determine the profile of a solar device, then estimates photovoltaic production.
Using Google Maps data, this software is both accurate and easy to use.
Forget divination, tarot cards and signs in coffee grounds, PVGIS has what it takes to convince you!
PVGIS is an online tool, accessible to everyone at the click of a button.
It was launched by the European Commission in 2007 with the aim of supporting the development of renewable energies by providing maximum information to citizens.
Key features of the PVGIS tool
The yield of a solar panel depends on many factors, such as orientation, solar radiation, sunshine time, temperature, shading, material used, etc. PVGIS performs calculations by cross-referencing these data to estimate the output of your solar panels.
It takes into account
- Type of sign or installation
- Location (address or GPS coordinates)
- Photovoltaic technology used: monocrystalline or polycrystalline photovoltaic panels, thin-film CIS (copper indium selenide), cadmium telluride (CdTe) or unknown technology
- Installed power in kW
- Inclination
- Orientation
- Azimuth, i.e. angle to south.
PVGIS provides sunshine maps (irradiation in kWh/m²) and accurate temperature data for all regions of the world. It takes into account solar irradiance as well as the elevation of the surrounding terrain.
PVGIS provides optimal data for tilt and azimuth!
This is very useful for optimizing solar energy production and therefore your yield.
Once PVGIS has completed its calculations, data and a graph are displayed on screen to show you the results. This allows you to see the estimated energy production of your solar system, whether real or hypothetical.
However, it's important to understand these figures.
Your annual photovoltaic output is displayed in kWh/kWp/year.
Energy is expressed in kWh (kilowatt-hour): it's the product of power (in W) and time (in h). Thus, 1 kWh corresponds to the production of one kilowatt (1,000 watts) in one hour.
The power of a panel is estimated on the basis of an hour's production in kWp (kilowatt peak). The kWp represents the maximum production expected from a photovoltaic panel under specific reference conditions in terms of location and use.
PVGIS remains the most advanced tool for anticipating the performance of a photovoltaic system.
It's important to remember that PVGIS works in a theoretical environment, and that the actual output of a photovoltaic system can vary considerably once it's installed and running.