TechnicalOne of the hottest sources of renewable energy in recent years is solar energy. The photovoltaic industry is growing very fast, and it is expected that the construction of solar projects will increase in the coming years, not to mention the many companies that have oriented (or reoriented) their activities towards this sector.
Many projects are therefore born, but once they are validated, a question arises about their design: which software to choose? Solutions exist on the market, but not all companies or professionals have the same needs, and projects are not standard. Are you currently looking for an intuitive and high-performance photovoltaic design software? We give you 10 good reasons to use the archelios PRO app from Trace Software.
archelios PRO is an online application and is one of the most versatile tools on the market for the design of photovoltaic projects, as it adapts to all types of installations, small or large, whether on the roof or on the ground, with optimal performance for both residential self-consumption systems and large solar power plants.
1 – Choose your baseline weather data
Irradiation and temperature data, which are essential for carrying out simulations of photovoltaic projects, must be integrated into the study. To do this, archelios PRO automatically offers the METEONORM data closest to the project and also allows the user to import data from other recognized suppliers on the market, namely PVGIS, HELIOCLIM, SOLARGIS, NREL and 3E in order to carry out different simulations.
2 – Model your installation in 3D with high flexibility
Modeling a PV installation in 3D can be a long and tedious task if you don’t have the right tool. archelios PRO is a flexible application since it not only has its own 3D modeling functionality, but is also connected to other architecture tools such as SketchUp or Revit and soon Autocad. As a user, you can therefore choose the alternative that seems most appropriate to your type of project.
3 - Optimize the performance of your panels with the study of shading
Nearby shading, such as that caused by buildings, chimneys, trees, or other elements close to the project site, are important parameters to consider when simulating the efficiency of solar panels. A shaded module causes a drop in production that affects the entire module string. Taking into account the nearby shading is the assurance of optimal production. archelios PRO allows a precise analysis of the production by faithfully representing the environment and the impact it will have on the installation. In addition, the 3D Map module allows you to go even further in the simulation of the production by importing the 3D environment of the installation project: all in just one click!
4 - Access to a large multi-manufacturer database
archelios PRO has a large multi-manufacturer database containing a multitude of components (solar panels, photovoltaic inverters, storage batteries, etc.). Each project is unique, so you can insert the references you need to complete your project. Is a manufacturer reference missing? No problem! You can request the integration of components if they do not yet exist in the catalog or even easily create them yourself for your own use.
5 – Choose the best photovoltaic configuration for your project
There are a multitude of technologies on the photovoltaic market and archelios PRO not only makes these references available, its intelligent algorithm makes it possible to automatically propose all the configurations compatible with the photovoltaic group. Indeed, from the inverter brand, archelios PRO is able to offer all configurations of inverters compatible in voltage and current. Like this advanced feature, the user can also choose his configuration in total autonomy.
6 – Optimize the production of your plant from the design stage
For photovoltaic inverters, it is essential to bring together on the strings the modules with the same characteristics and exposures to limit power losses and maximize electricity production. Thanks to the precise analysis of masks per module, archelios PRO allows the wiring of the modules to be carried out in an optimal way and to analyze the production by controller (MPPT) hour by hour to detect possible design problems.
7 - Precisely design self-consumption installations
With archelios PRO it is possible to insert a self-consumption profile thanks to the import of custom device profiles, partial or annual consumption profiles, integrate batteries, and even add hourly tariff profiles. At the end of the project, you will receive a detailed report on the energy and economic balance of the system.
8 - Benefit from a commercial tool that makes a difference with your customers
Thanks to the customizable reports and detailed documentation generated by archelios PRO, you don’t need any other software to present the PV project to your end customer. The software generates a complete report in PDF format with annual irradiation forecasts, annual production forecasts (Productible P50 – P90), economic analysis and bankability. The 3D design provides a realistic rendering that will allow your clients to soak up the rendering and project themselves into their investment. The application is positioned not only as a real photovoltaic design tool but also as a marketing support that can make a difference in a customer’s decision. To go further, it is possible to edit the list of materials for procurement and the project quote.
9 – Carry out an economic and realistic analysis
The development of photovoltaic solar energy is constantly changing the market, especially in terms of price. Beyond the need to use renewable energies and the increase in energy costs, profitability remains a major argument in the realization of photovoltaic projects. To address these issues, archelios PRO takes into account investment (CAPEX), operating costs (OPEX), financing, but also inflation and discounting. This makes it possible to accurately calculate the economic flows and payback times of the projects simulated in archelios PRO.
10 – Size the electrical part of your installation thanks to its unique gateway to archelios CALC
Thanks to its direct gateway to the archelios CALC software, archelios PRO is the only solution on the market that allows you to export your project in order to quickly and easily carry out the electrical sizing of the photovoltaic installation. Thanks to this export, you will automatically obtain the single-line diagram, corresponding to the installation designed on archelios PRO, in order to carry out normative checks and electrotechnical calculations DC and AC part to the LV or HV connection point. archelios CALC warns of compliance errors via an intuitive color code and allows you to refine the sizing of the components.
Conclusion
Depending on the version you choose, you’ll get unique features for fast and accurate design. 3D design, production forecasting, management of self-consumption projects, solar pumping, precise management of large power plants, detailed economic analysis, etc. These are some of the features that make archelios PRO a powerful, recognized and unique tool in the photovoltaic software market.
