SMA has introduced the Off-Grid Configurator, a customizable product designed to help solar professionals design the ideal off-grid photovoltaic system. The software analyzes each design aspect from sizing the PV array to preparing a final cost analysis, thereby providing the user with comprehensive planning assistance that saves time and reduces costs, according to SMA.
‘Designing and planning off-grid PV systems can be challenging and time consuming,’ says Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America and president of SMA Canada. ‘Whether it's for a small residential system or a large hybrid plant, the new SMA Off-Grid Configurator helps solar professionals design off-grid and backup systems quickly and easily.’
The exact level of assistance provided by the Off-Grid Configurator is decided by the user. Project details (such as location data, consumption and AC/DC system components) can be manually defined or selected from the software's databases of location-specific climate information, prefabricated load profiles, PV modules, inverters and batteries. The software then presents an optimal system configuration, designs the generator operation, and determines the ideal combination of Sunny Island battery-based inverters.
Using this data, a system simulation is performed and a financial analysis is prepared to calculate the system's cost effectiveness. All results are displayed graphically and can be printed as Microsoft Excel or Word documents or as a PDF.
