PVComplete, a solar sales and design software company, has released PVCAD Mega, a CAD software solution for utility-scale PV projects, built on Autodesk technology.
PVCAD Mega delivers solar engineering and layouts for tracker and fixed-tilt projects of any size in five minutes or less.
“Solar engineers love CAD software because it provides responsiveness and the precision canvas they need to create accurate drawings in a way that cloud software can’t match,” says Claudia Eyzaguirre, CEO of PVComplete.
“But the original AutoCAD wasn’t created with solar in mind. It doesn’t know how to design for optimal energy production. With PVCAD Mega, solar engineers now have a uniquely solar-flavored CAD product for the first time. The platform delivers essential CAD performance while also providing solar functionality, including integrated racking and module databases,” adds Eyzaguirre.
PVCAD Mega also improves the accuracy of project modeling with advanced capabilities such as topography pier analysis. Where legacy utility-scale project design relied upon slope analysis based on aerial site views and computations of an average grade, PVCAD Mega makes pier analysis at scale possible, replacing average grade with unique post heights for every pier on a project site. The result is more informed constructability and equipment decisions, as well as lower material and installation costs, notes the company.
The platform has already been deployed on behalf of utility-scale solar developers and EPCs, including Lightsource BP, a strategic partnership formed in 2018 between Lightsource Renewable Energy and global energy company BP.
PVCAD Mega is available with or without bundled AutoCAD software on a monthly or annual subscription basis.
Photo: PVComplete’s PVCAD Mega software
