In the Layouts & electrical section, you can select multiple pieces of equipment for the same layout to simulate at the same time. The modules selected for simulation need to have the same physical size as those used in the design layout.
Layouts
Import layouts
There are different ways to import PV layouts into PVcase Yield:
- From the PVcase Ground Mount capacity iteration tool
- From the PVcase Ground Mount ribbon
Learn more about the process in both cases in Export to PVcase Yield.
Configure layouts
You can always configure your layouts after importing.
1. PVcase file upload
After importing a PV layout into PVcase Yield, you might encounter one of the following warning messages:
This warning message indicates that there are frame and terrain collisions in the layout.
To solve this issue, you can perform one of the actions below:
- Use the PVcase Yield Lift clipped frames above ground option. This option will elevate the frames above the terrain level so that you can continue with the Yield simulation.
- Dismiss and return to PVcase Ground Mount to perform the civil ground grading so that the frames are at the correct elevation compared to the terrain.
This warning message indicates the project location mismatch between the uploaded layout and the selected location in the Meteo section.
To solve this issue, you can perform one of the actions below:
- Select the Update meteo coordinates option to automatically match the project location from the PVcase layout to the Meteo section.
- Select the Keep current meteo setup option. However, you need to be cautious and ensure that the location selected in the Meteo section is the correct location. An inadequate location selection might result in incorrect meteo data being used for the simulation.
2. Electrical design configuration
You can select one of three options.
- Use from export (recommended). This option will only be available when you have an advanced subscription and if you export a complete electrical design layout from PVcase Ground Mount. All electrical characteristics that were defined in the layout will be used. Use from export is recommended, especially when the layout has different string lengths.
- Target a metric. This option is available for electrical and non-electrical layouts. It allows you to define a specific simulation metric you would like to target. The target metric will be achieved by automatically optimizing the inverter sizing: strings per inverter, and number of inverters. If the target metric is applied to an electrical layout, the existing electrical design will be ignored.
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Define manually. This option is available for both electrical and non-electrical layouts. However, the existing electrical design will be ignored, and your manual input will be used. You need to define the following:
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- Modules per string (string length)
- Number of inverters
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PVcase will automatically calculate:
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- The number of strings by the number of modules from the imported layout.
- The average strings per inverter by evenly distributing numbers of strings to the number of inverters imputed by the user.
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There is also the option to distribute strings manually to each of the inverters instead of using an average value to increase the accuracy of the simulation.
3. General layout information
You can manage the Diffuse optimization strategy by enabling the corresponding option.
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- Fixed tracker angle. When beneficial, trackers return to a fixed position (0°, horizontal by default).
- Limited tracking range. When beneficial, the rotation range of trackers is reduced (to +-15° by default).
The DC cable resistance option only becomes available when electrical design configuration is used from the GM layout export. With a complete DC cable design, PVcase Yield will automatically apply the physical model to calculate the resistive power loss using your input DC cable resistance, and the DC cabling loss value in the losses section will be ignored.
Modify configured layouts
To modify an already configured layout individually, you can select the Duplicate and edit option in the selected layout:
You can also edit multiple configured layouts by using the Batch edit option and then select all the layouts you want to edit.
Once all required parameters are completely filled, select Save layout to proceed with configuring and selecting modules and inverters to use for the simulation.
Modules
You have the option to select from the Modules library or upload a new .PAN file (see upload .PAN file for more details), or manually input the information based on the module datasheet.
Learn more in the Modules library article.
Inverters
You have the option to select from the Inverters library or upload a new .OND file (see upload .OND file for more details), or manually input the information based on the inverter datasheet.
Learn more in the Inverters library article.