Locus Energy, a solar monitoring and data analytics platform provider for the distributed photovoltaic market, has announced the launch of its irradiance modeling tool, Virtual Irradiance (VI).
The first release as part of Locus Energy's PVIQ suite of analytical tools, VI allows solar fleet managers to determine if a system is performing up to expectations based on the amount of sunlight that is available at a particular time and location, according to the company.
VI uses data from weather stations and satellite imagery to provide ground-level irradiance data anywhere within the continental U.S. The solution may be used with existing system software or as an add-on to Locus Energy's SolarNOC cloud-based software application.
Locus Energy says that for small to midsize solar systems, VI eliminates the need for an on-site sensor. For larger systems at which an on-site sensor may already have been installed, VI can fill gaps in and validate sensor data, the company adds.
